Luisita farmers vow to assert rights to cultivate land

MANILA, Philippines - More than 200 Hacienda Luisita farm workers made good their vow to assert their rights and started cultivating the 500-hectare land barricaded and claimed by the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) and its partner, the Luisita Industrial Park Corp. (LIPCO), located in Barangay Balete inside the controversial sugar estate.

“This direct action by Hacienda Luisita farmers is the strongest form of asserting their just and legitimate rights to Hacienda Luisita lands,” said Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas secretary-general Danilo Ramos in a statement.

Quoting reports from the Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (Ambala), Ramos said that “apart from Hacienda Luisita farm workers, village officials also joined the ‘bungkalan’ (cultivation) campaign.”

“Farm workers have already slashed the tall grass on the RCBC area and registered their strongest opposition to the Supreme Court order,” he said.

Ramos said they estimate that the bungkalan campaign covered more than two hectares in just one day, with farm workers using their bolos and a few hand tractors.

The farm workers are set to plant rice and vegetables in the area and also brought with them mango and santol seedlings. The Ambala and the United Luisita Workers’ Union will also set up camp in the area to defend their rights to the land.

On July 5, the Supreme Court (SC) ordered the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to conduct a referendum in Hacienda Luisita and let the farm workers choose between land and stocks.

The DAR, however, said it will file a motion for reconsideration before the SC, expressing belief that lands, not share of stocks, should be given to the farmers.

“The law itself called for the distribution of the land,” Agrarian Secretary Virgilio de los Reyes said.

The high court also ruled that “RCBC and LIPCO purchased the lots in question on their honest and well-founded belief that the previous registered owners could legally sell and convey the lots though these were previously subject of CARP (Comprehensive Agrarian Reform program) coverage. Ergo, RCBC and LIPCO acted in good faith in acquiring the subject lots.”

“It’s a big lie that RCBC and LIPCO were innocent purchasers for value. It is totally impossible that RCBC and LIPCO didn’t know that Hacienda Luisita is the most controversial agrarian dispute in the country,” Ramos said.