Demolition protest mars massacre commemoration

A PROTEST against the demolition of houses in Barangay Balintawak, Escalante City, Negros Occidental marred the commemoration of the 28th Escalante Massacre on Friday.

Bernardo Patigas, secretary-general of Northern Negros Human Rights Advocates (NNHRA) said that as of Friday, seven houses, as per court order, were demolished and more are up for demolition based on the information they received.

He said they are not against the Caminos family whose heirs are claiming the properties. The NNHRA, he said, is just giving assistance to the affected families on their rights to be provided with a relocation site. As of this time, the affected families don't have a relocation site.

The commemoration of the Escalante Massacre was attended by about 5,000 protestors including the families of the victims of the September 20, 1985 tragedy.

Patigas recalled that the main issue of the protestors during the Escalante Masacre was to demand for the end of the Marcos dictatorship, because of too much oppression, and militarization that led to poverty.

A reenactment of the massacre was done by the members of militant groups to where it happened 28 years ago.

We continue the struggle of those who died in the Escalante Masscare because up to this time, those problems and cause fought by those who were killed continue and even worsened, Patigas added.

Published in the Sun.Star Bacolod newspaper on September 21, 2013.

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Demolition protest mars massacre commemoration