“They destroyed everything. After felling our banana trees, they even got the fruits. They did the same with our squash. They did not spare our palay seeds, 12 cavans of it, which we were supposed to plant this July 15.”
“A genuine agrarian reform scheme will address the centuries-old problem of peasant landlessness, which the CARP has not solved and in fact worsened. Up till now 7 out of 10 farmers do not own the land they till, in some regions like Southern Tagalog and Central Luzon it is 8 out of 10.” – Bayan Muna Rep Neri Colmenares
By BENJIE OLIVEROS Bulatlat perspective Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac, Hacienda Looc in Batangas, Hacienda Dolores in Pampanga, Hacienda Arloc and Hacienda Ilimnan in Negros Occidental, what do these have in common? These are vast tracts of land, which were appropriated by a few elite families of big landlords. Also, these lands were supposed to be…
‘The continued existence of haciendas and the escalating attacks on farmers here are concrete proofs that after 26 years, the pro-landlord CARP is an epic failure.’ – Rafael Mariano, KMP
“Why can’t the DAR allow us to continue cultivating the land we have occupied since 2005?”
Hundreds of farmers and their supporters are facing various criminal charges filed by Tadeco, Tarlac police and the DAR-hired survey firm.
Two years after the Supreme Court ordered the distribution of Hacienda Luisita lands to farmworker-beneficiaries, the Cojuangco-Aquinos, with the help of the Department of Agrarian Reform, have been doing everything to maintain their stranglehold on Luisita, and to provent farmers from taking control of their own land.
On the second anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling on Hacienda Luisita, farmworker-beneficiaries stormed the main office of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). They called on Secretary Virgilio delos Reyes to face them in a dialogue but neither the DAR chief nor any of his representative talked to the farmers. Instead, anti-riot police pushed Hacienda Luisita farmers out of the DAR compound.
Two years after the SC decision, Hacienda Luisita farmers said DAR has not performed its mandate of distributing the land.
Ni RICHARD R. GAPPI Bulatlat.com Sinipsip ng dikya ang makinis na kutis ng bidang artista. At ito ang ulo ng mga balita. Samantala, sa Hacienda Luisita, may sumisipsip din ng dugo sa mga yayat na dibdib at butuhang palad at hita. Naibalita ba ito kahit sa talampakan ng brodkast at pahayagan? May tinitingnan at tinititigan…
“Police, armed men and other agents of the Cojuangco-Aquino family who are responsible for the destruction of our crops, homes and livelihood run free despite our formal complaints before several government agencies… We farmers, however, who have not committed any wrongdoing were quickly imprisoned.”
Tadeco and CAT, both owned by the Cojuangco-Aquino clan, are claiming ownership over 258 hectares of land in Balete, 374 hectares in Mapalacsiao and 104 hectares in Cutcut.