The Guinayangan Republic

By Delfin Mallari Jr.

Families of victims and survivors on Saturday commemorated the 30th year of the infamous "Guinayangan Massacre" during the dark years of Marcos dictatorship and vowed to continue working to protect human rights and oppose the continuing militarization of the countryside.
The families of the massacre victims also hoped that they would be included in the list of Marcos human-rights victims who were now receiving cash compensations from the seized properties of the late former President Ferdinand Marcos, as decided by the US court.
Remedios Icipin, mother of Juliana Hara, one of two massacre victims, said they would receive whatever cash compensation for the heroism of her daughter in fighting the Marcos dictatorship.
Former Sen. Wigberto Tañada was the guest speaker of the commemoration program held at the covered court in the town proper of Guinayangan attended by around 200 participants.
Around noon time on Feb. 1, 1981, more than 6,000 farmers, women and children from different towns of Quezon marched in Guinayangan town, 255 kilometers southeast of Manila along the Quezon-Bicol boundary, demanding land reform, fair price for copra, livelihood and end to military abuses.

Dispersed
The rally was dispersed by troops from Philippine Constabulary, the predecessor of Philippine National Police, resulting in the death of Hara and farmer Eutiquio Inciso, both of Guinayangan, according to a Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) report furnished by Karapatan-Quezon.
?The troops, upon seeing the protesters armed only with placards bearing their grievances, indiscriminately fired their rifles, initially upwards and on the ground near the demonstrators,? the TFDP report said.
?It was intended to sow fear among the marchers, disperse and stop them from continuing the mass action. But the people still continued just clapping their hands and appealing they be allowed their mass action and express their grievances?.
Unable to intimidate the protesters, the government forces aimed their rifles on the protesters, fatally hitting two marchers and injuring 17 others, according to the TFDP.
The TFDP reported that the soldiers also fired their rifles at coconut trees causing the nuts to fall on the marchers that sought covers in nearby farmland.

Blame
In the ensuing confusion, the marchers dispersed in all directions and some were forced to fall on a nearby cliff and injured themselves, said the report.
The leaders of the government forces were identified but evaded responsibility for the bloody incident and blamed New People?s Army (NPA) saboteurs as behind the massacre. The NPA strongly denied the allegation.
?We joined the march in 1981 along with my son Fidel because Juliana?s husband, Carlito, was abducted by the military several weeks before the rally. My son and I were lucky, we evaded the bullets,? Icipin recalled.
She said her daughter was hit by a bullet in her head. Inciso was hit in the chest and also died on the spot.
?Carlito was never found until today,? Icipin said.
Joey Barrameda, media liaison of Karapatan-Quezon, said the families of massacre victims vowed to continue to oppose the ongoing militarization in their area.

from: Inquirer Southern Luzon