CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Some 100 farmers from Hacienda Dolores in Porac town stormed the regional office of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) here, as they protested the agency’s alleged failure to realize its commitment to turn over land reform lands already awarded to them in the hacienda, and to probe the fencing of their lands by big-time land developers.
The farmers from the Aniban ng Nagkakaisang Mamamayan ng Hacienda Dolores (Aniban), which is affiliated with Aguman Dareng Maglalautang Capampangan (AMC) and the Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson (AMGL) said the DAR failed to fulfil its two promises to them and that they plan to hold another camp-put in front of the regional office indefinitely.
They noted that after they held weeks of protest campout last May at the regional office here, DAR officials promised to “install” farmers who already had certificates of land ownership awards (CLOA) and emancipation patents (EP) for lands they were tilling, and to inspect fences and other structures built by land developers claiming their farmlands.
Aniban leaders said they had wanted DAR officials to “see for themselves the fences and security posts set up by LLL and FL real estate firms on the lands.” The initials stand for Leonardo- Lachenal-Leonio Holdings Inc. (LLL) and FL Property Management Corp. (FL).
The firms are set to construct “a 1,000-hectare Alvierra eco-residential-commercial- light industrial and tourist project, akin to Nuvali in Sta. Rosa city, province of Laguna.” “More than three months have passed, but the DAR has not acted on its promises,” Aniban said in a statement.
“This shows the negligence of DAR, and the uselessness of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program against land grabbing measures of big companies such as Ayala Land,” said AMGL chairman Joseph Canlas who cited reports that LLL and FL are subsidiaries of Ayala Land, Inc.
Canlas noted that Ayala Land was “a big financial backer of Pres. Aquino’s presidential campaign in 2010.”
“DAR’s inaction, as well as the support of other agencies such as the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are only part of the political favors enjoyed by the said company,” he also said.
“Hacienda Dolores farmers are now usual victims of mass arrests, extra-judicial killings and filing of trumped up charges,” Canlas lamented.
