Pinoy Weekly - Anomalous Hacienda Luisita distribution blamed on Carper, ‘cash cow’ of landlords

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Posted: 07 Aug 2013 01:34 AM PDT Hacienda Luisita farmers discussing the beneficiaries list released by DAR (Ilang-Ilang Quijano/ PW File Photo) Farmers trooped to Hacienda Luisita on the 4th anniversary of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms (Carper) today to denounce the “sham” land reform program that has paid billions of pesos to big landlords while depriving farmers of land. The Unyon ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA) bared that in Hacienda Luisita, owned by the family of President Aquino, farmers are being coerced into signing a document called Application to Purchase and Farmers’ Understanding (APFU), which states that they are willing to buy the piece of land from the government at a still undetermined price. “Why would you buy what you already own?” said Lito Bais, UMA chairperson. The signing of the APFU comes with the drawing of lots conducted by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), which raffles off pieces of land to the farmers. UMA and other farmer groups inside the hacienda oppose this raffle draw, saying that it fails to recognize farmers who have already tilled a portion of the land since 2005. The raffle draw and signing of the APFU is accompanied by the deployment of around 200 police and SWAT members, which is meant to “terrorize” the farmers, according to Bais. UMA also revealed that only 117 out of 700 lots will be distributed to farmers in Brgy. Balete. The DAR claims that the 500 hectares of converted lands exempted from distribution are found in the said barangay. “But these lands are located in four other barangays,” Bais disputed. The Hacienda Luisita farmers are calling for the free distribution of land, saying that they have cheated out of their own lands by the Cojuangco-Aquinos long enough. Source of corruption Meanwhile, the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) described the Carper as a “widely perceived as a source of corruption” and “cash cow of big landlords.” When the CARP was extended in 2009, the government claimed that only 1.2 million hectares of private agricultural lands still remain to be distributed. Four years later, however, 879,526 hectares still remain to be distributed, with the DAR only having finished the processing for acquisition and distribution of 113,866 hectares. “These figures did not even reflect reversals and cancellations of so-called certificates of land ownership that escalated during the extension period,” said KMP secretary general Antonio Flores. Citing the research think-tank Ibon Foundation, KMP further revealed that from 1972-2008, big landlords have already received P289 billion in payments for 1,619,513 hectares of land under CARP. This excludes money that has been pocketed by corrupt bureaucrats and fake NGOs (non-government organizations), according to Flores. He was referring to Janet Lim-Napoles who reportedly controls seven NGOs who bagged P200 million in funds under the CARP in 2007 and 2008. In time for the 2014 budget deliberations, the KMP is calling for the “zero budget” for Carper. DAR has received a P21.3 billion budgetary allocation, under the Aquino administration’s P2.3 trillion proposed budget. Instead, farmers are pushing for the enactment of the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill, which provides for free land distribution to farmers. Protests versus Carper According to KMP, farmers from Hacienda Luisita will be joined by farmers from Cagayan Calley and several provinces from Cordillera in a solidarity vigil tonight. Meanwhile, in Iloilo City, more than 100 farmers led by Pamanggas (Panay and Guimaras-Wide Alliance of Farmers’ Organizations), an affiliate of KMP, will troop to the main streets of the city to denounce Carper, in a protest that will culminate at the provincial capitol grounds. A similar protest action will be held in key cities in the Bicol region today, with more than 800 farmers led by the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Bikol, according to the KMP. ************