MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is investigating the arrest and detention of 91 farmers, land reform advocates, media workers and students in Concepcion, Tarlac last week.
The CHR office in Central Luzon started gathering information about the incident, particularly the reported arbitrary arrest and detention of those who participated in the collective farming activity in Hacienda Tinang on June 9, Jacqueline de Guia, CHR executive director, said.
De Guia cited allegations of physical and mental abuse, inhumane conditions at the detention facility and red-tagging experienced by the group following their arrest.
“Local police claimed the farmers used a rotovator and destroyed the sugarcane plantation owned by other farmers. When responding police officers from the Central Luzon police tried to stop them, the police said the farmers allegedly became unruly and prevented them from performing their duties,” De Guia said.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) justified the arrests, saying there was nothing wrong with the action of the police.
PNP officer in-charge Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. said that based on their investigation, members of the Kalipunang Damayang Mahihirap or Kadamay, Anakpawis and other militant groups were behind the attempt to forcibly take over the property.
De Guia said seven farmers who were among 91 people arrested said they were legitimate agrarian reform beneficiaries of the disputed land.
The seven said they were issued certificates of land ownership awards (CLOAs) in 1995 for the 200-hectare property, and were waiting for their official installation.
Cases of malicious mischief and illegal assembly were filed against 83 of those who were arrested including 11 members of the media.
The CHR urged the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to look into the matter, citing the disputed nature of the land where the arrests happened.
Meanwhile, the DAR said the issuance of notice to qualified agrarian reform beneficiaries of Hacienda Tinang might be delayed due to the cases filed against the farmers.
DAR Undersecretary David Erro said the agency would discuss with the members of Task Force Tinang the schedule of the publication of the notice of qualified beneficiaries.
Erro said the DAR targeted to install the farmers before the term of Secretary Bernie Cruz ends.
Erro, chairman of Task Force Tinang, said that in 1995, the DAR issued CLOAs to 236 Tinang farmers, but the beneficiaries have yet to be awarded individual titles.
The DAR initially identified 93 qualified farmer-beneficiaries in Hacienda Tinang.
Erro said only 13 farmer-beneficiaries participated in the collective farming activity on June 9.
He said the farmers would not be automatically disqualified from owning the land as the DAR would give them due process.
Erro said they would advise the counsels of the arrested farmers to request the provincial agrarian reform program office (PARPO) to issue a certification that the case is classified as an agrarian dispute.
“The certification can be used to request the local court, where the cases were filed, to dismiss the charges and allow the PARPO to handle the case,” he said. “That way, the case can immediately be facilitated or resolved.” – Rhodina Villanueva