A total of 155 farmers who trooped to the Department of Land Reform to
demand for a full accounting of the Marcos Wealth were later dispersed
by the Special Weapons Action Team (SWAT) and police forces and later
charged with malicious mischief and public disturbance.
At first, the farmers went to the office of the DLR Secretary Rene
Villa for a dialogue. One of the legitimate demands for the dialogue
is an accounting of the Marcos Wealth spending, which by law should be
used directly for agrarian reform.
Upon learning that Villa would not be able to come to the dialogue,
the farmers responded by staging a silent protest by lying down on the
floor. The protest lasted from 10:00 am till 5:00 pm. In
mid-afternoon, the farmers were informed that Villa would show up to
meet the farmers. But at 5:30 pm, there was no sight of the Secretary.
This disappointed the farmers, who later staged a peaceful occupation
of the Secretary’s office. "Pakiramdam namin, dalawang beses kaming
pinatay sa araw na ito. Dalawang beses kaming umasa na may Kalihim
kaming makakausap. Pero wala rin pala. Walang pinag-iba ang
kasalukuyang administrasyon sa pamunuan ng mga nakaraan," Ka Julito
Diaz, UNORKA President, said. ("We felt that we were killed twice
during the day. We twice anticipated that we would meet with the
Secretary. We were disappointed. The situation today is no different
from that during the previous administrations.")
At 9:30 pm, the SWAT and police forces physically dispersed the
farmers. Several SWAT members could not control themselves from
attacking the farmers with truncheons. "Sa ginawa nilang ito, di
mapigilang mahimatay ang isang kasamahan namin," Ka Vangie Mendoza,
UNORKA former President, said of her fellow woman leader. ("Because of
that brutality, one fellow woman farmer fainted.")
The farmers could not believe that the DLR and police forces would
treat them inhumanely. "Hindi kami hinayaang kumain at uminom ng
tubig. Pinatayan pa kami ng ilaw. Tinakot pa kami. Tapos ipinalalabas
pa nila na kami ay NPA at may dalang armas," Ka Erik Cabanit, UNORKA
Secretary General, complained. "Patunay lamang ito na mababa ang
kanilang pagtingin sa magsasaka.“(”They did not allow us to eat our
own food, even to drink water. They threatened us. They even had the
guts to make it appear that we were members of the NPA and had arms.")
The farmers are now detained at the Camp Karingal, waiting for the
processing of their case. In the meantime, they pleaded for support
from other groups and individuals so that their health and safety
would not be risked. "Kailangan namin ng tulong para sa pagkain,
tubig, at suportang panligal. Gusto naming makalaya agad at ituloy ang
laban para repormang agraryo. Magsasampa rin kami ng kaso laban sa DLR
dahil sa kanilang ginawa sa amin.“Diaz said. (”We need support for
food, water and legal assistance. We wish to be released soon so that
we can pursue the fight for agrarian reform. We will file
counter-charges against the DLR for their deplorable act.")
Dong B. Calmada
for PEACE and UNORKA