Lawmaker, activists in Luisita case arrested in Tarlac

ANGELES CITY, Philippines – A lawmaker was arrested yesterday morning while investigating alleged irregularities in the implementation of land reform in Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac.

Police arrested Anakpawis Rep. Fernando Hicap, along with other activists, said Gerry Corpuz, spokesman for Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya). 

Hicap and the rest of the members of the fact-finding team had just come from a dialogue with the Philippine Army at Barangay Balete when members of Tarlac PNP arrested them, he said. “They were held at the Tarlac City police station under the command of deputy chief Jovy Pagarigan.” 

Corpuz quoted police as saying that Hicap and the others will be charged with malicious mischief, illegal entry and assault on men in uniform. They have denied the charges, he added.

Pamalakaya vice chairman Salvador France said a de facto martial law is being carried out in Hacienda Luisita.

“The members of the fact-finding mission were chased like wild boars by members of Tarlac police and they seemed confident and agitated, as if the order to pursue them came from Malacañang itself,” he said.

“Land reform advocates from various sectors are in Hacienda Luisita to investigate the fraud, harassment and land-grabbing reported by farmworker-beneficiaries that highlighted DAR’s distribution of Lot Allocation Certificates (LAC) in all of Hacienda Luisita’s 10 villages from July 18 to Aug. 21.”

Former lawmaker Rafael Mariano said the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) had implemented the “sham land reform” under the heavy presence of police and soldiers, and coerced farmworker-beneficiaries to sign promissory notes or the Application to Purchase and Farmers’ Undertaking (APFU). 

All these happened under a climate of impunity and injustice and without real intent to distribute Luisita lands, he added. 

Mariano said hundreds of armed police were deployed during the DAR’s land lottery activities distributing lands to the farmworkers as ordered by the Supreme Court in 2011.

“DAR Secretary Virgilio de los Reyes said they have concluded the lot allocation process in Hacienda Luisita and refusal of any identified farmer-beneficiary to sign the APFU is a ground for the farmer or farmworker to be stricken out of the list of beneficiaries and be replaced by other qualified beneficiaries,” he said. “Through the showcase lot allocation scheme, DAR coerced farmer-beneficiaries to take part in the tambiolo land reform raffle and sign the APFU that manifests willingness of farmer-beneficiaries to pay the amortization and real estate taxes of the lands and desist from committing so-called prohibited acts.”