Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid ng Gitnang Luson (AMGL)
  • Home
  • Statements
  • Campaigns
  • Images
  • Resources
  • About
  • Peasant Struggle in Hacienda Luisita

CL farmers reiterate demand to put CARPer six feet under

2/14/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
The regional farmers group Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson (Amgl, Farmers Alliance in Central Luzon) and its affiliates Alyansa ng Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (Ambala, Farm workers Alliance in Hacienda Luisita) and Panlalawigang Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Aurora (Pamana - Aurora, Aurora Provicial Farmers Alliance) reiterate their long-time demand to repeal the Republic Act 6657 or Comprehensive Agrarian Refor Program (CARP) and its extension law Republic Act 9700 or CARP Extension with “Reforms.”  Ambala is the organization of Hacienda Luisita farm workers who waged the massive strike, together with the United Luisita Workers' Union (Ulwu) and Central Azucarera de Tarlac Labor Union (Catlu) on November 6, 2004.  The victims of the violent dispersal “Hacienda Luisita Massacre” on November 16 are members of Ambala.  While Pamana – Aurora whose members are affected by the Republic Act 10083 or Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Act are strongly demanding the same fundamental call.  CARPer is due to expire on June 30 and the House of Representatives are presently deliberating on the issue.

“Our call is whether we put CARP and CARPer six feet under or we cremate it as long its existence is totally ended.  We advice the public to be vigilant of other groups in favor of its extension or completion of using our affiliated farmers to advance their objectives,” Joseph Canlas said, Amgl chairperson.

The groups are watchful against deceptive schemes of some groups to legitimize their campaign such as taking advantage of the decades-long agrarian dispute in Hacienda Luisita and in APECO area in Casiguran town, province of Aurora.  Hacienda Luisita was covered by the stock distribution option (sdo), provisioned by CARP on section 32 during the administration of former president Corazon Aquino.

“The peasant struggle in Hacienda Luisita has reached the Supreme Court and it is clear that they demanded the junking of sdo, and by provision sdo is CARP in the hacienda's circumstance,” Canlas said.

Ambala asserted that sdo has failed to uplift their socio-economic well-being, worse it has put them into deep poverty and misery.  The group claimed that their unbearable situation obliged them to wage the strike and demand junking of the sdo.  Even during the protracted deliberation at the high court, the farm workers demanded immediate and free distribution of land and not another implementation of CARP or CARPer.

“CARPer is an insult to the Hacienda Luisita farm workers, it resulted their inconceivable hardship, the massacre, and at present land grabbing by Cojuangco-Aquino family,” Canlas said.

Amgl and Ambala said that the Aquino government is implementing CARPer in Hacienda Luisita, which paved the way  for the land grabbing by Tarlac Dev't. Corp. (Tadeco) since December to present.  The Dept. of Agrarian Reform (DAR) reduced coverage from 4,915-hectares as ordered by the high court to only 4,099-has.  While DAR claimed that the discrepancy of 900-has. is not missing, Tadeco has fenced about 400-has. in brgy. Balete and Cutcut.  Ambala said that Tadeco has violently demolished or bulldozed  farms they were cultivating without any legal basis, and used police forces to arrest without justification those who protested.
 
In addition, Amgl and Pamana – Aurora clarified that they are demanding the repeal of Apeco and immediate distribution of lands, not just to farmers, fisherfolk and indigenous people.  Apeco has covered about 13,000-hectares of land in Casiguran town, including the 500-hectare rice granary in brgy. Esteves and Dibet, and Dumagat ancestral lands in brgy. San Ildefonso, Cozo and Culat.  Apeco is authored by then-senator Edgardo Angara and his son, then-congressman Sonny Angara.

“The people living in the Apeco-affected barangays has cultivated the lands for more than 50 years, many agrarian reform programs has been passed and implemented and they ignored the people of Casiguran, thus, CARPer is no  exception,” Canlas said.

Amgl, Pamana – Aurora and the broad alliance Resist Apeco Movement have asserted that CARP and CARPer implementation has come out futile as it served no protection to poor farmers from laws such as Apeco.  The groups added that CARPer is an all-out deception to the farmers who actually cultivated the lands, transforming them into value.

“CARPer obliges farmers who sacrificed on the land, amortization and compelling them to accept land ownership of Angara or any landlord,” Canlas said.

Amgl said that CARPer is an instrument of the land-owning class against the poor farmers.  It added the case of Hacienda Dolores, where farmers are now facing violent attacks from Leonardo-Lachenal Holdings, Inc. (LLL), FL Property Management Corp. (FL).  The two firms are claiming about 754-has. of land that are actually cultivated by farmers and took advantage of an exemption order and conversion order issued by the DAR on 2005.  The group said that Ayala Land is planning to convert 1,000-has. As Alvierra, an eco-residential and commercial project similar to Nuvali in Sta. Rosa city, Laguna province.  The latest atrocities committed by security personnell of LLL and FL is the killing of Arman Padiño and wounding of Noel Tumali last January 12.   Padiño, Tumali and his son attempted to harvest their crops as they have no other source of livelihood, but were fired upon by LLL and FL security guards.   Padiño succumbed to gunshot wounds on January 13 while being treated at the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Hospital in San Fernando City, Pampanga.  Amgl added that farmers' ascendants cultivated the lands in Hacienda Dolores as early as 1835 during the Spanish colonialism, ironically, DAR basing on the exemption provisions of CARP favored the private firms.

“Everybody knows that Central Luzon is a theater for agrarian struggle.  It is because of programs such as CARPer.  The fundamental rights to land of farmers are systematically and continuously violated, thus, farmers' resistance is inevitable.  CARPer would only fuel more peasant unrest, hence, it must be repealed,” Canlas said.

Amgl and its affiliate organization are pushing for the passage of House Bill 252 or the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill filed by Anakpawis Party-list Fernando Hicap.  GARB proposes free and immediate distribution of lands to farmers and  prohibition of land grabbing by big landlords and private firms.

“We intend to clarify to our utmost sincerity.  We call for the repeal of Republic Act 6657 or CARP and Republic Act 9700 or CARPer and the passage of House Bill 252 or GARB.  Farmers from Hacienda Luisita and Apeco-affected areas are not supporting the call of CARP extension or completion.  We want CARPer six feet under,” Canlas said.  #

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    AMGL

    To struggle for Genuine Land Reform in Central Luzon and other regions of the country.

    Archives

    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    November 2012
    October 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    November 2011
    October 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011

    Categories

    All
    Agap Zambales
    Agap-zambales
    Agrarian Reform
    Agriculture
    Alabamas
    Alabamas Dam
    Almana 3100
    Amado Espino
    Ambala
    Amgl
    Amgl Ne
    Amgl-ne
    Amt
    Anakpawis
    Angara
    Angat Dam
    Aniban
    Apeco
    Aseza
    Aurora
    Ayala
    Ayta
    Balikatan
    Balingcanaway
    Balog Balog Dam
    Balog-balog Dam
    Bayambang
    Benguetcorp
    Bot
    Bungkalan
    Calen
    California Energy
    Caltex
    Camp Gregg
    Cancellation Of Cloa
    Carp
    Carper
    Casiguran
    Cat
    Central Azucarera De Tarlac
    Central Luzon
    Chief Justice
    Claa
    Clark International Airport Corp.
    Clex
    Cloa
    Clrdp
    Clt
    Coco Levy
    Cojuangco Aquino
    Cojuangco-Aquino
    Cojuangco-aquino
    Cojuangco Aquinos
    Cojuangcoaquinos6288a28430
    Cojuangcos
    Corruption
    Danding Cojuangco
    Dar
    Dionisio Manuel
    Dislocation
    Displacement
    Displacements
    Dmci
    Dswd
    Ecozones
    Edc
    Energy Development Corporation
    Environment
    Ep
    Extra Judicial Killings
    Extrajudicial Killings0e27260734
    Farmers
    Farmworkers
    Fertilizer Scam
    Feudalism
    Fisherfolk
    Fmmr
    Food Security
    Foreclosure
    Fort Magsaysay Military Reservation
    Gabriel Singson Jr9507b1ead5
    Garb
    Genuine Land Reform
    Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
    Gloria Macapagal-arroyo
    Gma
    Gmo
    Golden Rice
    Guimba
    Hacienda Dolores
    Hacienda Luisita
    Hacienda Luisita Massacre
    Harassment
    Human Rights
    Human Rights Violation
    Human Rights Violations
    Imperialism
    Indigenous People
    Irri
    Ism 2013
    Jica
    Joc Joc Bolante
    Joc-joc Bolante
    Kmp
    Landgrabbing
    Land Reform
    Land Use Conversion
    La Paz
    Liberalization Of Agriculture
    Luc
    Mambayu
    Manuel Lorenzo
    Marilou Abrilles
    Maro
    Martin Lorenzo
    Medium Term Development Plan
    Medium-term Development Plan
    Merceditas Gutierrez
    Militarization
    Mining
    Mining Act
    Mining. Mining Act 0f 1995
    Mlub
    Move Now!
    Mt.abo
    Nia
    Nlex
    Nlex East
    Nolcom
    Noynoy Aquino
    Nueva Ecija
    Oil
    Oil Deregulation
    Oil Deregulation Law
    Oil Price Hike
    Ombudsman
    Oph
    Oplan Bantay Laya
    Oplan Bayanihan
    Palay
    Palparan
    Pamana
    Pampanga
    Pangasinan
    Pantabangan
    Pantabangan Dam
    Paro
    Pep
    Peping Cojuangco
    Petron
    Philrice
    Porac
    Ppp
    Press Freedom
    Privatization
    Public Private Partnership
    Public-private Partnership
    Rcbc
    Referendum
    Relief
    Renato Corona
    Republic Act 10083
    Republic Act 6657
    Republic Act 9490
    Republic Act 9700
    Rice
    Rice Farmers
    Rice Industry
    Sctex
    Sdo
    Sdp
    Shell
    Sona
    Sona 2011
    St. Tropez
    Supreme Court
    Syngenta
    Tarlac
    Teddy Casino
    Tplex
    Typhoon Pedring
    Ulwu
    Us Imperialism
    Vfa
    Visiting Forces Agreement
    W Corridor
    W-corridor
    Willem Geertman
    Wto
    Zambales

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.