Escalante massacre
Encyclopedia
The Escalante massacre was an incident on September 20, 1985 in Escalante City
, Negros Occidental
, Philippines
where para-military forces of the government gunned down civilians engaged in a protest-rally in commemoration of the 13th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law
. It is also called Escam - shorthand for "Escalante massacre", and sometimes Bloody Thursday, though it really happened on a Friday.
proved to be the dawning of darker days for the country. Although martial rule was lifted by Marcos on January 17, 1981, the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus was continued. Citizens merely protesting the policies of the Marcos government risked arrest without warrant and indefinite detention.
Adding to the tension of the times was the proposed creation of the province of Negros del Norte from Negros Occidental
. Citizens saw this as a maneuver by Marcos cronies in the northern portion of the province to consolidate more power. Negros del Norte was created from Negros Occidental on January 3, 1986, but its creation was later found to be unconstitutional and was abolished on August 18, 1986.
About mid-afternoon, fire trucks arrived and began to bombard the picket line with high-pressure water and tear gas. The crowd was surrounded by members of the Regional Special Action Force (RSAF) and the Civilian Home Defense Force (CHDF). When some protestors threw back the tear gas canisters into the empty plaza, the para-military forces, who would later allege that a few "trouble-makers" tried to grab their weapons, opened fire into the masses.
The government organized the Escalante Massacre Fact-Finding Commission chaired by Ombudsman
Justice Raul M. Gonzalez
(as of 2007, the Secretary of the Department of Justice). The commission recommended that the government indemnify
the victims' next of kin. This was never done. In 2003, three low-ranking policemen jailed for their alleged role in the massacre
were released on parole.
Escalante City
Escalante City is a 4th class city in the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 92,035 people in 19,324 households. Melecio Jabian Yap, Jr. is the current Mayor of the City while Ester M. Ampil is the current Vice-Mayor of the City. The...
, Negros Occidental
Negros Occidental
Negros Occidental is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is Bacolod City and it occupies the northwestern half of Negros Island; Negros Oriental is at the southeastern half...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
where para-military forces of the government gunned down civilians engaged in a protest-rally in commemoration of the 13th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
. It is also called Escam - shorthand for "Escalante massacre", and sometimes Bloody Thursday, though it really happened on a Friday.
Background
The declaration of martial law on September 21, 1972 by President Ferdinand MarcosFerdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
proved to be the dawning of darker days for the country. Although martial rule was lifted by Marcos on January 17, 1981, the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus was continued. Citizens merely protesting the policies of the Marcos government risked arrest without warrant and indefinite detention.
Adding to the tension of the times was the proposed creation of the province of Negros del Norte from Negros Occidental
Negros Occidental
Negros Occidental is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is Bacolod City and it occupies the northwestern half of Negros Island; Negros Oriental is at the southeastern half...
. Citizens saw this as a maneuver by Marcos cronies in the northern portion of the province to consolidate more power. Negros del Norte was created from Negros Occidental on January 3, 1986, but its creation was later found to be unconstitutional and was abolished on August 18, 1986.
Attack
On September 18, 1985, a crowd composed of sugar workers, farmers, fisher-folk, students, urban poor, professionals and church people staged a noise protest in the town center. The crowd was estimated to number 5000. The next day, the protesters set up human barricades in front of the public market and at the entrance of the municipal plaza. On the morning of September 20, a police car approached the picket line and the protest leaders were invited to a negotiation conference at the municipal building which was about fifty meters from the barricades. The leaders refused.About mid-afternoon, fire trucks arrived and began to bombard the picket line with high-pressure water and tear gas. The crowd was surrounded by members of the Regional Special Action Force (RSAF) and the Civilian Home Defense Force (CHDF). When some protestors threw back the tear gas canisters into the empty plaza, the para-military forces, who would later allege that a few "trouble-makers" tried to grab their weapons, opened fire into the masses.
Aftermath
Accounts of the number of casualties vary: between twenty and thirty dead, and thirty wounded. After the crowd had dispersed, the site was cordoned off by the para-military units and on-lookers were ordered to bring the wounded to hospitals in the town. The bodies were recovered from the rally site, and in the sugar cane fields surrounding the location. Buildings and concrete walls nearby were riddled with bullet holes.The government organized the Escalante Massacre Fact-Finding Commission chaired by Ombudsman
Ombudsman
An ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and some internal or external constituency while representing not only but mostly the broad scope of constituent interests...
Justice Raul M. Gonzalez
Raul M. Gonzalez
Raúl Maravilla González, was the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and was the Former Secretary of Justice of the Philippines. He was replaced by Agnes Devanadera in 2009 from the orders of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.-External links:****...
(as of 2007, the Secretary of the Department of Justice). The commission recommended that the government indemnify
Indemnity
An indemnity is a sum paid by A to B by way of compensation for a particular loss suffered by B. The indemnitor may or may not be responsible for the loss suffered by the indemnitee...
the victims' next of kin. This was never done. In 2003, three low-ranking policemen jailed for their alleged role in the massacre
Massacre
A massacre is an event with a heavy death toll.Massacre may also refer to:-Entertainment:*Massacre , a DC Comics villain*Massacre , a 1932 drama film starring Richard Barthelmess*Massacre, a 1956 Western starring Dane Clark...
were released on parole.