At least 100 farmers, land reform advocates arrested in Tarlac; groups call for release

At least 100 farmers and land reform advocates were arrested in Concepcion, Tarlac on Thursday, June 9.

Altermidya, a progressive media network, said those arrested were performing "bungkalan" or collective farming activity in the area, but the police said they were arrested for "malicious mischief and obstruction of justice."

Altermidya said those arrested were agrarian reform beneficiaries of Hacienda Tinang and several other farmer advocate groups, including artists, campus journalists, and students.

Among those arrested were 63-year-old Felino Cunanan, 34-year-old Chino Cunanan, 36-year-old Abigail Bucad, 45-year-old Sonny Dimarucut, 58-year-old Sonny Magcalas, and 39-year-old Pia Montalban, 36-year-old Alvin Dimarucut, and other residents and land reform supporters.

Investigators alleged that Tarlac residents used a rotovator and demolished the sugarcane plantation owned by the Agriculture Cooperative located in Barangay Tinang at around 9 a.m. on Thursday.

Police officers of the Concepcion Municipal Police Station, Special Action Force, 1st and 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company, Tarlac Police Provincial Office Intelligence Branch, Regional Mobile Force Battalion; as well as the Philippine Army 3rd Mechanized Infantry Battalion, Naval Intelligence and Security Group-Northern Luzon; tried to “pacify” the farmers and advocates.

But they allegedly became “unruly and tried to obstruct the law enforcers from performing their official duties.”

PRO3 Regional Director Police Brigadier Matthew Baccay said that while the law enforcers acted upon their mandated task, the incident continued to be investigated.

DAR protest

According to Tina Panganiban-Perez’s “24 Oras” report on Friday, several farmers held a protest in the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to condemn the incident.

“Habang nagbubungkal kami dumating ang police para arestuhin ang chairman para dalhin sa police station. Nakita namin na walang mandato iaresto, ibig sabihin pangharassed, pananakot ang ginagawa ng kapulisan at habang narinig namin ang isang tawag ng Congressman Noel Villanueva at kapulisan na kailangan arestuhin ang nambubungkal,” one of the protester said.

(While we were plowing, the police came to arrest the chairman and take him to the police station. We saw that there was no arrest warrant, meaning harassment, intimidation was being done by the police and we heard a call from Congressman Noel Villanueva to arrest the farmers.)

The police refuted the claims that the said congressman directed them to arrest the farmers and land reform advocates, saying that the barangay members and cooperatives of farmers who called them.

“Yan ang version nila. Inutusan nila ako. Pero ang pinagmulan po talaga niyan, ang property na nasira doon, yung sinira nila, totoo po. Merong tumawag sa amin na barangay at saka yung members ng Samahang Nayon ng Tinang Multi-Purpose Cooperative informing ‘yung station na may mga grupo ron, bigla na lang pumasok doon na biglang pinagsisira yung mga pananim na tubo,” Police Lieutenant Colonel Reynold Macabitas said.

(That is their version saying that they ordered me. But the real source of that was the property that was damaged. Someone called us from the barangay and the members of Samahang Nayon ng Tinang Multi-Purpose Cooperative informing us that there are groups who suddenly entered there and suddenly destroyed the sugarcane crops.)

Meanwhile, Tarlac Representative Noel Villanueva also debunked the farmers’ claims, noting that they do not own the land in the area.

“Hindi po. Wala kaming lupa doon. In fact, hindi nga kami kabilang sa mga benepisaryo. Kinaladkad lang ang pangalan ng aking pamilya dahil sa politika,” he said.

(No. We do not own a land there. In fact, we are not even among the beneficiaries. My family's name was just dragged because of politics)

Asked if they controlled the land, Villanueva said “Hindi po. Mayroon pong management ang kooperatiba (No, cooperative has its on management).

Calls for justice

Several progressive groups and individuals called for justice and shared photos and videos of the incident on social media sites.

Despite the incident, a graduation ceremony was held at the police station for graduating student Denisse Macalino who was one of the arrested individuals.

She thanked those present for their support and appealed for justice regarding the incident.

The Anakpawis partylist also called for the release of the arrested farmers and land advocates. It also condemned the harassment and mass arrest of the farmers and advocates.

Meanwhile, wedding videographer Jason Magbanua said that his eldest son was among those arrested, noting that his child wanted to help the farmers.

“Sa mga kapulisan jan sa Concepcion, Tarlac, Pag ingatan nyo po mga detainees nyo. Ilan po jan ay estudyante pa. Dumalaw yan sa Tarlac na walang ibang balak kundi magbungkal ng lupa at tumulong sa magsasaka. Kabilang jan ang panganay kong anak,” he said in a Facebook post.

(To the police in Concepcion, Tarlac, please take care of your detainees. Some are still students. They visited Tarlac with no other intention but to cultivate the land and help the farmers. My eldest son was also among those arrested.)

“Wala pong kaso na maaring isampa jan (There is no case that can be filed there),” he added.

He said that his son was safe.

Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan also urged authorities to release the arrested farmers and supporters.

The senator said their lawyers were coordinating with the farmers and supporters for legal assistance.

“Palayain ang mga magsasaka ng Tarlac at ang kanilang mga supporters. Hindi kasalanan ang magbungkal ng lupa. Higit na kailangan natin ngayon ang mga magsasaka dahil sa napipintong food crisis, o ang kawalan ng supply at pagtaas ng presyo ng pagkain,” he said in a statement.

(Release the farmers of Tarlac and their supporters. There is nothing wrong with cultivating the land. We need our farmers now because of the impending food crisis and the lack of supply and rising food prices.)

“Nakikipag-ugnayan na ang aming mga abogado sa mga magsasaka at sa kanilang supporters, kabilang na ang artist na gumuhit ng aking children’s book na si Ara Villena, para sa kanilang ligal na pangangailangan,” he added.

(Our lawyers are already in contact with farmers and their supporters, including the artist who drew my children’s book Ara Villena, for their legal needs.)

Last May, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) said it was in the process of validating at least 236 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in preparation for the distribution of land titles and installing them as landowners of the 200-hectare portion of the Dominican Province of the Philippines Inc. (DPPI) landholdings.

“Unfortunately, hindi ko alam kung bakit kailangan nila gumawa ng issue kailangan nilang magkagulo. Kung makikita ninyo ang mga nandoon hindi lang mga farmers, marami doon estudyante at iba’t ibang grupo. Sana po huwag nating gawing magulo yung pagdidistribute ng lupa, huwag na natin iinstigate yung ating mga farmers,” DAR secretary Bernie Cruz said.

(Unfortunately, I don’t know why they need to make the issue. If you can see the farmers are not the only ones there, there are many students and different groups. I hope we don't start chaos in the distribution of land, we should not instigate our farmers.)—DVM/KBK/LDF, GMA News