By Marvyn N. Benaning / Correspondent
THE College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) on Monday condemned the attack against farmers of Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac allegedly perpetrated by goons under the employ of the Cojuangco-Aquino clan.
Florida Sibayan, chairman of Alyansa ng Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (Ambala), said drunken goons of the Cojuangco-Aquino family, led by Lourdes Barangay Chairman Edison Diaz, attacked and forcibly evicted Ambala members from their huts in Sitio Silangan, Barangay Mapalacsiao.
The armed men allegedly fired their guns during the altercation.
“We denounce the continuing harassment of the farmers perpetrated by the state itself. Despite orders from the Department of Agrarian Reform [DAR], the National Police in Tarlac condoned the violence by refusing to intervene by arresting Diaz and his men,” CEGP National President Jose Mari Callueng said.
“The latest atrocity against impoverished peasants only shows the land-grabbing clan has no intention of relinquishing the land to its legitimate owners—the farmers of Hacienda Luisita. Despite the 2012 decision of the Supreme Court mandating the distribution of 4,915 hectares of the hacienda to the farmers and sugar workers, only a fraction has been awarded to farmers, no thanks to the Cojuangco-Aquino’s use of violence and dirty tricks to keep the property and the state’s continued callousness to the decades-long plight of farmers,” Callueng added.
“Fascism at Hacienda Luisita must end. Ultimately, the Cojuangco-Aquinos must be held accountable for all the atrocities they committed to the farmers of Hacienda Luisita and even to the thousands of peasants in the country whose lives they have worsened—from the harassment, threats and intimidation; land-grabbing; and up to the enactment of bogus land-reform laws, such as the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program and the CARP Extension with Reforms,” he added.
1 comment
As usual, the media is covering up for the Aquino family. What a bunch of pathetic paid hacks.