Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES}
Quezon City, Metro Manila

RECEIVED
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TING:
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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

First Regular Sessi
gular Session REGISTRATION UNIT

to L_BILLS AND INDEX SERVICE

HousE Bit no. 10:3”

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES
ARIEL B. CASILAO
CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE, EMMI A. DE JESUS, ANTONIO L. TINIO,
ARLENE D. BROSAS, FRANCE L. CASTRO, AND SARAH JANE I. ELAGO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

On January 15, 1987, the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), a
national peasant organization, held a camp-out in front of the office of the then
Ministry of Agrarian Reform to assert their demand for genuine agrarian reform.

On January 20, 1987, a dialogue took place between the peasant leaders
and then Minister of Agrarian Reform Heherson Alvarez, But the government
has no clear and substantial response to the demand of the farmers.

On the morning of January 22, 1987, farmers led by KMP decided to
march to Malacafiang to air their demand for genuine agrarian reform. They
were later joined by members of other sectoral organizations such as the
Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU}, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN), League of
Filipino Students (LFS) and Kongreso ng Pagkakaisa ng Maralitang Lungsod
(KPML). They arrived at Liwasang Bonifacio at about 1:00 p.m. where they held
a brief program.

‘The demonstrators numbering from 15,000 to 20,000 then reached C.M.
Recto at around 4:30 p.m. It was during this mobilization that the OPLAN
YELLOW was put into effect by the Capital Regional Command (CAPCOM). Task
Force Nazareno was deployed within the vicinity of Malacanang. The civil
disturbance control units of the Western Police District (WPD) were also
activated.

While the leaders of KMP were negotiating with the police to allow the
body to proceed and continue up to the gates of Malacafiang, policemen then
suddenly fired their guns indiscriminately, shooting directly at the throng. It
was at this moment that a tumult occurred.

As a result of the pandemonium, thirteen (13) marchers died namely:
Danilo Arjona; Leopoldo Alonzo; Adelfa Aribe; Dionisio Bautista; Roberto Caylao;
Vicente Campomanes; Ronilo Dumunico; Dante Evangelio; Angelito Gutierrez;
Rodrigo Grampan; Bernabe Laquindanum; Sonny Boy Perez; and Roberto
Yumul. Thirty-nine (39) were wounded by gunshots and twelve (12) sustained
minor injuries, all belonging to the group of the marchers.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:



In the aftermath of the said fateful day, now known as “Mendiola
Massacre”, then President Corazon C. Aquino issued Administrative Order (AO)
No. 11 dated January 22, 1987, which created the Citizens’ Mendiola
Commission (Commission for short) to investigate the incident.

Among the findings of the Commission were:

(a) the crowd dispersal units of the police and the military were
armed with .38 and .45 caliber handguns, and M-16 armalites,
which is a prohibited act under paragraph 4(g), Section 13, and
punishable under paragraph (b), Section 14 of Batas Pambansa
Big. 880.

(b) the security men assigned to protect the WPD, INP Field Force,
the Marines and supporting military units, as well as the
security officers of the police and military commanders were in
civilian attire in violation of paragraph (a), Section 10, Batas
Pambansa Big. 880.

() there was unnecessary firing by the police and military crowd
dispersal control units in dispersing the marchers, a prohibited
act under paragraph (e) Section 13, and punishable under
paragraph (b), Section 14, Batas Pambansa Blg. 880.

@) Tear gas was not used at the start of the disturbance to
disperse the rioters. After the crowd had dispersed and the
wounded and dead were being carried away, the MDTs of the
police and the military with their tear gas equipment and
components conducted dispersal operations in the Mendiola
area and proceeded to Liwasang Bonifacio to disperse the
remnants of the marchers.

This event, subsequently, served as a wake up call to the Aquino
administration to push for a legislated land reform program in the country.

After twenty nine (29) years, people may have forgotten what transpired
on that fateful day. Some journalists called it “Black Thursday” but to many, as
stated above, was tagged as “Mendiola Massacre”.

Anakpawis has formulated this bill not only to remind the nation of the
tragic incident, which very much deserves a chapter in our country’s history,
and to honor the heroism of the peasants whose lives were offered in the
struggle for genuine agrarian reform but, more importantly, to recognize the
historic, continuing role of the farmers in the pursuit of a just, prosperous and
democratic society.

During the 13% Congress, this bill was approved by the Committee on
Revision of Laws (Committee Report No. 1955) and was included in the
Business for the Day on November 15, 2006.

This bill passed Third Reading in the 14» Congress and was transmitted
to the Senate on January 28, 2010, short of successfully being enacted into law.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

42
House But no. 1042

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES
ARIEL B. CASILAO
CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE, EMMI A. DE JESUS, ANTONIO L. TINIO,
ARLENE D. BROSAS, FRANCE L. CASTRO, AND SARAH JANE I. ELAGO

AN ACT
DECLARING JANUARY TWENTY-TWO OF EVERY YEAR
AS A SPECIAL WORKING HOLIDAY TO BE KNOWN AS
NATIONAL FARMER’S DAY

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. The twenty-second day of January of every year is hereby
declared as a special working holiday to be known as “National Farmer's Day’.

SECTION 2. To ensure meaningful observance of the holiday as herein
declared, all heads of government agencies and instrumentalities, including
government-owned and controlled corporations especially those that are dealing
directly with the farmers as well as local government units, and employers in
the private sector shall encourage and afford sufficient time and opportunities
for their employees to engage and participate in any activity conducted within
the premises of their respective offices or establishments in support and
sympathy to farmers across the country to celebrate “National Farmer’s Day”.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect two (2) days following its
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved.


soe 15% Congress again failed to pass the bill even as the measure got
the nod of the Lower House on Second Reading on February 8, 2013

Submitted once more in the 16% Congress, the bill was never deliberated
even at the committee level.

Anakpawis, by filing the same bill in the 17% Congress continues to push
for the much-deserved official national recognition of the ilipino Peasantry’s
heroic struggle for land and justice

In view of the foregoing, the early passage of this bill is earnestly
requested.

REP. ge CASILAO

ANAKPAWIS Party-list

ives
ner binboSsase 1 Ty ZARATE REP. EMMI A. DE JESUS

BAYAN MUNA Party-list GABRIELA Women’s Party
/ D
iy be Sores
REP. ANTONIO L. TINIO Rep ARL iE D. BROSAS
ACT Teachers Party BRIELA Women’s Party

REP. S, IE I. ELAGO.
KABATAMN Party-list