CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Farmers’ groups have lamented the failure of Pres. Aquino to intervene in the dispute in Hacienda Dolores in Porac, Pampanga where two farmerleaders have already been killed amid growing tension over plans for a high-end housing project on their farmlands.
In a dialogue with officials of the regional office of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) here, the farmers were told that the land conflict was already referred to the President for resolution.
Joseph Canlas, chair of the Alyansang Magbubukid ng Gitnang Luson (AMGL), said it was Agrarian Reform Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Anthony Parungao who confirmed to the farmers that the case has been pending for intervention by the President.
He did not say, however, when the case was referred to Malacanang. “Aquino’s inaction on the issue has led to the continuing abuses against Hacienda Dolores farmers. We demand his immediate action to stop the land grabbing of farm lands and order the immediate arrest of those who killed Arman Padiño last January and Menelao Barcia last May 2,” said Canlas during a press conference at a protest camp out of the farmers in front of the DAR regional office here. Padino and Barcia were leaders of the Aniban ng Nagkakaisang Mamamayan sa Hacienda Dolores (Aniban).
Farmers have maintained they were entitled to land reform ownership of some 2,000 hectares in Hacienda Dolores which they allegedly inherited from their forefathers way back in 1835. Recently, however, two real estate firms they identifi ed as LLL and FL have been fencing them off some 1,125 hectares of their farms for an “eco-residential, commercial, light industrial and tourism estate.”
Canlas said that Hacienda Dolores farmers, backed by other farmers’ groups, started camping out at the DAR regional office on May 22 to protest their dislocation from their farms. He said the protesters plan to stay on until June 24 when they would hold a march to Manila where they are slated to hold another protest rally.
“Prior to the recent extra-judicial killings and violent attacks against Hacienda Dolores, Aniban filed a petition for a cease and desist order at DAR last year, hoping to put a halt on the violent grabbing and fencing of farm lands.
Delayed action on the petition enabled the real estate firms to encroach on more lands and deploy more private guards tasked to prevent farmers from tilling their lands and harvesting their crops,” Canlas noted.
Canlas said that despite the pending claim of the farmers in 2005, the DAR issued exemption and conversion orders to pave the way for the high-end housing project on their farms.
He said the protest camp out at the DAR regional office here will culminate on June 24 when they launch in an eight-day march to Manila where the farmers would join other protesters seeking the “complete expiration of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law.”
