Groups protest against CARP

Cebu - As support for the nationwide protest of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, members of the KMP-Cebu held a protest to air their concerns regarding the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program on the 22nd anniversary of the Mendiola Massacre.

More than 200 members of the KMP-Cebu wore red shirts that read “Junk CARP, yes to GARB!” assembled in Fuente Osmeña rotunda yesterday and marched to the Department of Agrarian Reform-7 office.

Nick Abasola, president of KMP-Cebu said that they believe CARP is useless and has not helped them at all. KMP is fighting to abolish CARP and instead support the Genuine Reform Bill (GARB) or House Bill No. 3059, which will break up land monopoly and implement “free” distribution of the lands within a period that is just to farmer-beneficiaries.

GARB was passed to Congress by the Anakpawis partylist and supported by Bayan Muna and Gabriela Women’s partylist. Abasola said that though CARP was made so landless farmers and regular farm workers can directly or collectively own the lands they till, up to this date they have not benefited from this program.

One of the protesters was Andrea Gino of barangay Poblacion, Aloguinsan town, who said that after so many years of paying weekly for the half-hectare of land that she owns right now, she was ordered to divide it with the former owners. “Mini gyud ning balaura,” Gino said of CARP, adding that she is the rightful owner since she has paid the full amount already in 2000.

The nationwide protest that they did was also one way for them to ask for the justice for the 13 farmers killed during the Mendiola massacre 22 years ago and other killings linked to the issue of land ownership.

Karapatan-Central Visayas secretary general Dennis Abarientos said that aside from the 13 farmers who were killed during the massacre more have died because of fighting for their rights in their lands including nine farmers who were killed in Palo, Leyte during the Arroyo regime.

Pamana Sugbo, a group of fishermen, also supported the protest of KMP and voiced out their own concerns about the presence of military personnel in the south.

The group Panaghugpong sa mga Kabus taga dakbayan also showed their support to the groups that held their protests simultaneously with similar groups in Manila, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Panay, Samar, Iloilo, Bicol and Leyte. — AJ de la Torre/BRP (THE FREEMAN)