Philippines: Escalante Parishioners Mark 40 Years Since Massacre, Honor Victims as Martyrs

Forty years later, the parishioners of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Escalante City, Negros Occidental, Philippines, not only remember the gruesome “Escalante Massacre” but also seek “to reclaim the sacrifices of the victims,” whom they call martyrs to the cause of freedom and justice.

The Escalante Massacre, sometimes called Escam or “Bloody Thursday” by the people in northern Negros Occidental province, took place on September 20, 1985, during a multi-sectoral mass action named Welga ng Bayan. Some 5,000, mostly farmers, fisherfolk, teachers, students, and ordinary working people, including seasonal sugarcane plantation workers called sacadas, gathered for three days to air their grievances against Martial Law under Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

Carrying bamboo sticks for the anticipated torch parade in the evening, they demanded just wages, food for the poor, low prices of basic commodities, genuine land reform, and freedom and justice for all. On the third day, armed men arrived, claiming they wanted to negotiate, but protest leaders believed it was a trick to break up the rally. In the heat of the standoff, armed men opened fire on the protesters, killing about 20 people and wounding many others.

The Ombudsman looked into the case, but only one policeman was charged in the deaths of 20 people. Though there were calls to indemnify the families of the victims, justice was never delivered.

The Escalante Massacre shocked the world and increased pressure on the Marcos dictatorship. Five months later, a bloodless uprising forced Marcos to step down, ending 14 years of martial rule.

In a social media post, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Escalante City, stated, “We reclaim their sacrifice and honor these martyrs whose sacrifice gifted future generations the promise of freedom and justice. Their courage lights our path to stand steadfast against oppression, to never forget their stories, to resist all forms of tyranny, and to nurture their legacy of hope, justice, and liberation.”

A Holy Mass is scheduled for September 20 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, “in honor of those who fought for justice and freedom.”

Meanwhile, the Order of Carmelites, Philippine Province of St. Titus Brandsma, issued a statement titled “A Call to Justice and Integrity in a Time of Corruption,” pledging support and solidarity with the upcoming peace protest.

“Together with the Filipino people, we call for transparent investigations and genuine accountability for those involved in graft and corruption, as well as the just conviction of government officials and private individuals who have conspired to amass ill-got wealth,” the statement read.

Referring to the Carmelite Rule, the order explained that “justice is understood not merely as legal justice, but as biblical justice: living rightly before God, fostering harmony with one another, working honestly to earn one’s bread, and caring for the poor.”

The Philippine Carmelites demanded transparency, accountability, and responsibility from all concerned government officials and private persons, declaring, “We demand due process in these investigations, fast, clear, and decisive.”