Tension builds up in Hacienda Luisita; 7 arrested

Tension builds up in Hacienda Luisita; 7 arrested

“The Cojuangco-Aquino clan is the mastermind of this brutality as they see the camp-out at barangay Balete as symbol of the farmworkers’ unity in struggling for their rights to the land.” – AMGL
By RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com

MANILA –For three consecutive days, security guards hired by the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) have been attempting to put up fences at the 184-hectare land at Balete village in Hacienda Luisita.
The RCBC “acquired” the land on November 24, 2004 as payment for the loan obligations of Luisita Industrial Park Corporation (Lipco).

Since July last year, the farm workers led by the Alyansa ng Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (Ambala or Alliance of Farmworkers of Hacienda Luisita), have occupied the land and cultivated it for their survival.

For three days, farm workers have been defending their camp, preventing RCBC security guards from putting up fences. At around 3 p.m. today, seven farm workers have been arrested by the local police.

Farm workers of Hacienda Luisita and their supporters march toward the Chino Roces (formerly Mendiola) bridge, March 27, condemning the latest incidents of harassment against farm workers (Photo by Ronalyn V. Olea/ bulatlat.com)

Among those arrested are two village officials of barangay Balete – Winky Esteban and Jay Martinez–Dionisio Mandigma, Manuel Mandigma and Robert Mendoza, according to Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson (AMGL), the regional federation of farmers groups where Ambala belongs. They have been charged with malicious mischief and are now detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP)-Tarlac City.

Also arrested were Alfred Martinez, 17 and Meric Trinidad, 16 and were eventually released at around 4 p.m.
AMGL also reported that during the arrest, two policemen pointed their M-16 rifles at farm worker Becky Canlas while two other policemen manhandled Florida Sibayan, leader of the women of Ambala.

“We condemn this latest attack against Hacienda Luisita farmworkers. The Cojuangco-Aquino clan is the mastermind of this brutality as they see the camp-out at barangay Balete as the symbol of the farmworkers’ unity to struggle for their rights to the land,” said Joseph Canlas, AMGL chairman.

Pending petition

Leonor Saroza, Ambala secretary general, told Bulatlat.com that the land being claimed by the RCBC should be part of the thousands of hectares of land to be distributed to them.
On November 23, 2011, the Supreme Court issued a decision ordering the distribution of 4,916 hectares of land to farmworker beneficiaries. In the same decision, however, the high court excluded the land being claimed by the RCBC, stating that the bank was a “buyer in good faith.”

Ambala filed a petition before the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) seeking to revoke the conversion order the agency issued for the 500 hectares of land, including portions being claimed by the RCBC. In their petition, the farmworkers said the HLI did not comply with its obligations mandated under the conversion order. Specifically, it did not pursue the proposed development plan that was contained in the application for conversion and instead disposed of the 500 hectares to other Cojuango-owned companies and to RCBC..... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/03/27/tension-builds-up-in-hacienda-luisita-7-arrested/