LA CASTELLANA, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL - Civil society groups
working on agrarian reform and rural development condemn the illegal demolition
and the sustained harassment of farmworkers of Hacienda Vicenta, Sitio
Cambagting, Barangay Cabacungan, La Castellana on August 10, 2022.
Kaisahan-Negros, Partido Manggagawa-Negros, Dagyaw
Paralegals, and the Negros Occidental Federation of Farmer Associations
denounced the “illegal, inhumane, and violent demolition” of the homes of
Hacienda Vicenta farmworkers, because there was no court order presented and
the demolition proceeded even though children were still inside their houses.
Based on the sworn affidavit of Deana Estrada, 53, one of
the residents and farmworkers in the hacienda, her niece called her home as
unknown men were destroying her house on the morning of August 10, Wednesday.
Despite pleas to delay the demolition because children were
inside the house, the unknown men continued to destroy their home.
”Nagtawag siya liwat nga guba na ang akon balay,” Estrada
continued.
“The perpetrators didn’t care and didn’t show any remorse
even if they may have killed an innocent child in the process of destroying the
homes and harassing the farmers,” said Inday Goco, the Secretary-General of
PM-Negros.
According to the residents, the perpetrators also threatened
them, saying they were only getting started and that there would be more
attacks to come.
“Nagkadto ako sa barangay para mangayo bulig pero hambal
sang sekretarya wala didto si Kapitan gani nagkadto ako sa Cabacungan Police
Station pero naghambal sila nga indi
sila kabulig kag ginpabalik ako sa
Barangay para magparecord,”
Estrada lamented.
“It is unfortunate and very disappointing that the
duty-bearers and law enforcers didn’t stay true to their mandate to ‘serve and
protect’ the farmers asking for their help,” Goco expressed.
“This incident is also a call to action for the Department
of Agrarian Reform because if only the land claims of the farmers were swiftly
and rightfully resolved, such violence need not happen,” noted Jec Magbato of
KAISAHAN-Negros.
DAR's processing of their land claims was halted because of
the Land Use Cases Committee’s decision granting the application for conversion
of LN Agustin, the landowner.
KAISAHAN argues that since the land is irrigated, as
certified by National Irrigation Administration, it should have never been
converted. Under the CARL or R.A. 6657,
irrigated and irrigable lands are considered "non-negotiable for
conversion."
The groups also urged the respective government agencies,
such as DAR, the security sector, and the local government, to act on the land
claims of the farmworkers and an investigation on the incident that occurred in
Hacienda Vicenta. They sscommit to work with the agencies and the community for
the protection and peaceful resolution of their land rights claim. #
Partido Manggagawa - Negros
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