Fw: FARDEC's Statement on Latest Update on SRFA Farmers

[DevCom FARDEC]

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Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2011 3:19 PM
Subject: FARDEC's Statement on Latest Update on SRFA Farmers

FOR STANDING UP FOR RIGHTS ALOGUINSAN FARMERS ARRESTED EN MASSE

 

Thirty four    (34)    Aloguinsan farmers  (including one child), one  FARDEC staff and 3  supporters  (students) were brutally manhandled and  illegally arrested by  combined forces of more than 300 police forces.   The police force came from the Municipalities of Barili, Aloguinsan,   Toledo,  Balamban and Asturias  police  and SWAT   teams    headed by PNP-PRO 7.   The incident happened in Bonbon,  Aloguinsan   at 10:00 in the morning   on 28^th August 2011.     The victims  are still  illegally detained in  Aloguinsan,  Toledo,  Pinamungajan and Balamban.    Some of those arrested  sustained injuries in their heads  and bodies when they were helplessly struck  with truncheons   by the police forces. 

^,  

 

This is the   sad situation of  ejectment    currently faced by our   farmers,    the San Roque Farmers Association (SRFA) in Bonbon, Aloguinsan, Cebu.  SRFA is composed of    more than 86 farming households tilling the 168 hectares of  land  tilled by their peasant parents since 1900's.     

 

In the late 1990's,   as they kept on following up with the Department of Agrarian Reform   (DAR) the status of land reform implementation so that they could get their land titles,  they were informed by DAR   that the land is actually a public land therefore it is the DENR which has the jurisdiction.    SRFA farmers later got hold of a DENR - certified cadastral claim certificates   as cadastral claimants.    SRFA experienced relative peace   and security of tenure when the   Gantuangco administrator left the community since then while farmers   kept on lobbying with the DENR    and DAR.    The SRFA  farmers  is now   engaging in sustainable agriculture   practices  and managing their own   potable  water project. 

 

Since the first quarter   of the year 2011 however,    threats   of an impending ejectment became more glaring.    SRFA farmers have no choice but to brace themselves in facing this threat.   On March 30, 2011 - truckloads   of fencing materials, fully armed security guards   and armed goons came   and attempted to fence their farms.    But SRFA farmers   successfully stopped them.    Since March 30 until now, SRFA camped - out and are keeping their vigilance.    There were several attempts since then   to put up the fences to which   the SRFA farmers succeeded in warding off the land through collective efforts.  The peasant women played a big role since every human barricade they formed, it’s the peasant women who were in the front lines. 

 

On 29th June 2011, the Gantuangco's   mobilized more than a hundred armed goons and workers, security guards and   K9 dogs.  The Gantuangco’s also has the 78th Infantry Batallion of the Philippine Army which is having a detachment camp in the area.   The SRFA farmers sought the help of the municipal mayor, the barangay captain and the police to keep the peace and prevent   untoward violence.  But, the mayor and   barangay captain were tentative.  Sadly, the police sided with the   Gantuangco's.    The DAR and DENR seemed helpless as well. 

 

The SRFA strongly stood and collectively prevented the fencing attempts.    The Gantuangco guards   fired their guns and used their K9 dogs to bite the peasant women in the front lines.    But still,    the SRFA farmers succeeded in preventing the ejectment. 

 

One of the   "hired lawyers of the Gantuangco came   to FARDEC office   asking for FARDEC to convince the farmers to give in to the Gantuangco’s.  But,   FARDEC told the lawyer that    FARDEC could not decide in behalf of the farmers  for it is their lives and livelihood which are at stake nor  could it  facilitate  what the Gantuangco's wanted for it could never compromise its INTEGRITY   and STAND as a farmers institution.   

 

On August 10, 2011 in the morning,   a court order  from RTC Branch 59 of Toledo City was received   by FARDEC as one of the defendants with the SRFA   in an Injunction Case filed by the Gantuangco's for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO).  The TRO is for SRFA, FARDEC and other support groups to restrain and bar them for 72 hours so that the Gantuangco's could pursue their fencing and ejectment of the farmers.    .  In the morning of the   August 11  however, again, more than a hundred armed goons and security guards with the Aloguinsan police tried   to fence the 168 farms invoking the court's order for TRO.  Again, the SRFA farmers formed human barricades with the peasant women on the front lines defying the court order.  The SRFA, once again, succeeded. 

 

 

These acts of connivance between the Gantuangco, the court, the police and the military inflicted so much injustice   in the lives of farmers   who are already suffering from poverty and who only have this land as their only means of   survival.  Where will they go if they will be ejected?   How can the court simply issue a TRO against farmers and FARDEC when in fact, the Gantuangco could not even present a legal proof of ownership   of the land?  If the Gantuangco’s can successfully get rid of the farmers  in the 168 hectare lands,  will this be another case of land use conversion   losing such a prime agricultural  corn   lands   to pave way for a  “ship building, ship breaking industry”  at the expense of   the farmers,  our food security and the environment?    How and when can the government such as the DAR and DENR   truly make a decisive stand and side with the famers?

 

This is a matter of LIFE AND DEATH FOR  THE SRFA FARMERS.  We are  therefore demanding  for the immediate release of  the 38  farmers who are illegally detained and arrested.     We are calling to stop the fencing of the 168  - hectare land and the revocation of the anomalously issued fencing permit of the Gantuangco’s by the Municipality of Aloguinsan.     We call for an immediate investigation by the CHR on the  cases of  harassment. We also demand the  return  of  FARDEC’s still camera  and one cellular phone,  one still camera owned by one of the arrested students and  their 3 cellular phones and four cellular phones of the 4 arrested farmers   which were  stolen and confiscated  by one of the arresting police officers.  We call for the RTC Branch 59 in Toledo City to dismiss  the  Injunction case filed against the farmers and  FARDEC.  We are appealing  to  all partners for any support to  help the SRFA  by writing to  concerned government officials,  the judiciary  and all other possible support we could muster  to put pressure,  lobby,  appeal to  one’s  conscience and hearts. 

 

 

In the name of service,

 

FR. CRISPIN MOSTAJO, CSsR                               ESTRELLA F. CATARATA

FARDEC Inc. Chairperson                                            Executive Director                   

[Vince Cinches]

Is fardec going to organize a solidarity activity? Salamat!

Vince

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Vince Cinches
350.org Pilipinas
Mobile: +639228463900
http://www.350.org/
http://a2dproject.org/
Skype: vince.cinches