Government mulls extra troops to protect farmers in Malaga land dispute

MANILA (AFP) - The Philippine government Tuesday said it was considering sending extra troops to the central island of Negros Occidental where a bitter land dispute with a sugar baron has left two peasant farmers dead.

The two gunned down by security guards on Monday were among 100 farm workers who were given land owned by sugar baron Roberto Cuenca under the government's agrarian land reform programme.

Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman said Tuesday that the killings were tantamount to an "attack to our duly constituted government."

"I have issued an order to our field officials to make an arrangement with the police and the military for possible reinforcements," to protect the farmers, Pangandaman said in a statement.

In April 2002, the government issued an order that 114 hectares (281 acres) from Cuenca's property be turned over to the farm workers.

Land reform has been a controversial issue in the Philippines for decades.

The law allows the government to take over idle or abandoned agricultural land and redistribute it among poor farm workers with or without the consent of the owner.

The property owners are compensated by the government based on current market value.

It was unclear whether the land was cultivated when the original order was issued.

Peasants led by Alejandro Garcesa, 70 and Ely Tupas, 52, tried to enter the land on Monday but the two were killed by Cuenca's security guards. Six others were wounded.

No one has been arrested for the shootings and it was not clear whether Cuenca had been questioned by police. Cuenca was not immediately contactable.

The farmers made headlines in February when they staged a hunger strike to force Cuenca's group to hand over the land.

Cuenca, according to the farmers, wanted to strike a deal with the government to instead relocate them to a less productive portion of the sprawling 446-hectare hacienda.

The farm management then sought to block the implementation of the order and there had been widespread reports of intimidation using armed private security guards.

The government subsequently ordered the farmers to be installed on the farm, sending field officials and troops for protection.