The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) batted for "genuine agrarian reform" as the country commemorates today, Jan. 22, the 35th anniversary of the “Mendiola Massacre.”
On Jan. 22, 1987, 13 farmers died and scores of others injured when anti-riot law enforcers “fired at rallyists” on Mendiola Street in San Miguel, Manila.
"On this day, the CHR joins in the relentless call for justice and denounces the numerous attacks that our farmers and laborers continue to experience up until present," the CHR said in a statement.
"Despite being key in ensuring a steady food supply, farmers and laborers continue to struggle with low pay and land dispossession, which is further compounded by competition from imported produce that further harm local farmers' income," it added.
At the same time, the CHR stressed that all individuals have the right to express dissent and express their grievances against the government without fearing harm or retaliation.
For its part, the CHR vowed “to continue doing its work in improving the plight of farmers and by being their voice for the government.”