Palparan turns over 2 soldiers in Luisita worker’s slay

Controversial Army Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan personally presented yesterday two soldiers sought for questioning by the police to shed light on last week’s murder of Hacienda Luisita labor union leader Ricardo Ramos, in which left-wing activists have accused Palparan of involvement.

Privates First Class Romeo Castillo Jr. and Rhoderick de la Cruz denied involvement. They were seen in the neighborhood looking for Ramos on the day of the murder.

"Our conscience is clear. We have nothing to do with it. We were surprised at the news and that the murder was pinned on us," Dela Cruz told reporters.

"I don’t even know why we are here," Castillo said.

Castillo and De la Cruz are both with the 24th Infantry "Wildcat" Battalion of the Philippine Army’s 7th Infantry Division, which is under Palparan’s command.

They told police that they were at their detachment command post at the time of the murder. Ramos was shot dead by a sniper at around 9 p.m. last Tuesday while drinking with some friends outside his house in Tarlac City.

Capt. Nelson Palaris, a military lawyer from the Judge Advocate General assigned to represent the two, added a security guard posted near the command post could vouch for Castillo and De la Cruz.

"They were surprised when stones rained on the detachment as people immediately accused the soldiers of killing Ramos," Palaris said.

Castillo and De la Cruz’s detachment is stationed in Barangay Mapalacsiao, where Ramos was also barangay chairman.

Left-wing activists allege that Ramos is the latest target of a military-backed campaign against them that is masterminded by Palparan, who had been accused of atrocities in the past.

Senior Superintendent Perfecto Palad, who heads the investigation, emphasized that Castillo and De la Cruz are still not yet considered suspects because no one has directly linked them to the murder.

"So far, we have six witnesses and all of them have executed their affidavits over Ramos’ death," Palad said, but added their testimonies were all circumstantial because they saw the two soldiers asking for Ramos’ whereabouts an hour before the shooting incident.

Senior Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome, Tarlac police chief, said investigators are also looking into the possibility that Ramos’ killing was related to the strike at Hacienda Luisita.

"There could be a group which does not want to have the labor dispute at Hacienda Luisita solved," Bartolome said.

As head of Central Azucarera de Tarlac Labor Union, Ramos led the strike at the sprawling plantation owned by former President Corazon Aquino’s family.

Ramos was killed at a time when his union was reaching an agreement with Hacienda Luisita’s management.

Sugar mill workers were demanding better wages and the reinstatement of more than 300 laid-off colleagues, including union leaders.

Former President Aquino is not involved in the management of the plantation. The management and union were close to a settlement after Hacienda Luisita paid the workers’ back wages.

"There is a clear indication that some quarters do not want the labor dispute settled," said Bartolome. A clash broke out in November between police and strikers. Three sugar mill workers were killed and at least 16 others, including three police officers, were injured.

Several military outposts were established in Hacienda Luisita since then. The detachment at Mapalacsiao were pulled out after the Ramos murder following a police request to encourage witnesses to come forward. — With Ding Cervantes