Probe sought on alleged military presence in Luisita villages

MANILA, Philippines - Farmers of Hacienda Luisita sought yesterday the help of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima against the reported military presence in their communities.

“We are seeking Justice Leila de Lima’s office to investigate this wanton disregard of the military by insisting on its deployment and nesting in the ten village communities of Hacienda Luisita. Clearly this is violation of the farm workers’ and residents’ rights and safety; they should be out of the farm workers’ community, structures and out of Hacienda Luisita,” the Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (Ambala) said in a statement.

The group cited the report of the fact-finding mission conducted by its mother organization, Unyon ng mga Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (UMA), along with human rights groups Karapatan, Promotion of Church People’s Response and Luisita Peasant and People’s Alliance.

They claimed there have been cases of harassment, surveillance, vilification and arson.

“The Justice department through Secretary De Lima should see through this pressing issue; as a former human rights chair, we are requesting her office to conduct a probe on the military presence inside Hacienda Luisita,” UMA secretary-general Rodel Mesa appealed.

“The military argues that they have the backing of the village officials (but this) should be questioned... Clearly this is an attempt of the Aquino (administration) to curtail the farm workers’ militant assertion calling for the distribution of Hacienda Luisita,” he added.

The groups blasted Maj. Enrico Gil Ileto, 7th infantry battalion spokesman, that the military will not pull its forces from the hacienda.

“He acts like Aquino’s spokesperson, personal security and caretaker of Hacienda Luisita. This de facto martial law inside the farm workers community was architected to defy the courts’ Nov. 22 decision ordering the 4,900 hectares distributed to land reform beneficiaries by deceiving the farm workers that they are one with the people. If that doesn’t work, they will resort to harassment, intimidation and other form of confrontation to dissuade the farm workers from going to protest actions,” the group alleged.

Last week, the farm worker-beneficiaries protested the reported P10-billion demand of the family of President Aquino as compensation for the distribution of their 4,915.75-hectare sugar land estate in Tarlac.

Ambala and Uma also called for the inhibition of Associate Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno, Aquino’s first appointee to the high court, who sided with the valuation demanded by Hacienda Luisita Inc. (HLI).

It was Sereno’s concurring and dissenting opinion on the high court’s decision last Nov. 22 ordering the total land distribution of the estate to its original 6,296 farm worker-beneficiaries that placed the current fair market value of the land at the time HLI was issued a notice of coverage on Jan. 2, 2006.

It was on this valuation that HLI reportedly pegged its demand for just compensation at P10 billion. – With Rhodina Villanueva