Olalia, Alay-ay murders recalled

Members of the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) Tuesday marched to Mendiola to recall the 1986 abduction and murder of Rolando Olalia and Leonor Alay-ay, two labor leaders allegedly killed by a military right-wing group during the administration of President Corazon Aquino.

"The legacy of Ka Lando Olalia and Ka Leonor Alay-Ay will always be alive among workers. We demand justice for their brutal deaths. We demand that the government act decisively to capture and punish the perpetrators," said the KMU during the 15th death anniversary of Olalia and Alay-Ay.

The KMU said previous administrations of President Aquino, Fidel Ramos and Joseph Estrada failed miserably to mete out justice in the death of Olalia and Alay-Ay, who were believed murdered by military officers identified to then coup leader now Sen. Gregorio Honasan.

KMU Secretary for Federation Affairs Manny Sarmiento said justice remains elusive 15 years after their deaths. It is the height of injustice that their murderers roam scot-free. Olalia was a known leader of the militant workers’ movement during the 1980s.

They said, like his father, Felixberto Olalia also a respected labor leader and founding chairman of the KMU, Rolando Olalia devoted his precious time and effort to the workers’ and people’s movement.

He became a labor lawyer for the National Federation of Labor Unions (NAFLU) and president of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) and Partido ng Bayan during the early 1980s.

Olalia was abducted on Nov. 13, 1986 along with Alay-Ay. The following day, they were both found dead, brutally killed. They were both hog-tied and their mouths stuffed with pages of newspaper. They bore several gunshot wounds in different parts of their bodies and heads, as well as stab wounds and torture marks.

The KMU accused the Rebolusyonaryong Alyansang Makabansa (RAM) to be the perpetrators of the slayings.

They said the slayings were not just plain cases of heinous crimes but a well-organized assassination motivated by political reasons," and Sarmiento.

Sarmiento feared that Olalia’s and Alay-ay’s case will remain unsolved just like hundreds of others. – Sandy Araneta