83 Tarlac farmers, advocates released after posting bail

After posting bail, 83 people composed of farmers and land reform advocates walked free in Tarlac province, vowing to seek legal remedy to dismiss the cases lodged against them, according to a report by Tina Panganiban Perez on “24 Oras.”

The arrested individuals, collectively known as “Tinang 83,” returned to their farmland following their release on Sunday.

“Hindi naman po namin iiwan ang kubol dahil amin po to, sa amin ang lupa,” Abigail Bucad, one of the farmers, said.

The farmers were arrested Thursday after allegedly damaging crops during an activity at Hacienda Tinang in the town of Concepcion.

On Monday, they sought the help of the Commission on Human Rights in dismissing the malicious mischief and illegal assembly charges they are facing.

“Pwede rin naman kaming mag-file ng motion to quash para hindi na magkaroon ng arraignment, para i-dismiss na ang kaso,” Jo Clemente, one of the lawyers of the farmers, said.

In a copy of the collective certificate of land ownership award (CLOA) released by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), a total of 236 farmers are beneficiaries to the land.

The list, however, is being questioned by the SN Multipurpose Cooperative which claimed that some of the beneficiaries have sold their lands.

According to DAR, the 13 farmers who joined the activity are all CLOA beneficiaries.

“Although identified beneficiaries, pero doon sa land acquisition and distribution na proseso namin …’pag may lumalabas na premature entry ay pwede kang ma-disqualify doon kasi hindi pa sila formally installed,” DAR Undersecretary David Erro said.—LDF, GMA News