Farmers file complaint vs DAR chief over dispersal

Militant farmers belonging to the Ugnayan ng Nagsasariling mga Lokal na Organisasyon sa Kanayunan (UNORKA) yesterday filed charges for alleged human rights violations against Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Roberto Pagdanganan.

The complaint stemmed from the violent dispersal of a picket line by UNORKA members outside of the gates of the DAR building along the Eliptical Road in Quezon City last February 4.

In a statement, UNORKA said Pagdanganan denied the protesting farmers of their constitutional rights when Pagdanganan ordered the dispersal of the picket which was manned by some of their members.

"The violent dispersal of the farmers’ campout reeks of auhoritarianism by Pagdanganan. By ordering such inhumane treatment of the protesting farmers, Pagdanganan committed a gross violation of the Philippine Constitution which guarantees (the) people’s right to assembly," UNORKA said in a statement.

Members first held a Mass at the gate of the DAR building at 1:00 p.m. yesterday before marching to the Commission on Human Rights. The Mass was led by running priest Robert Reyes under the tight watch of security guards and a police crowd control unit armed with shields and truncheons.

At least 11 protesters were hurt while two others later identified as Bonifacio Resposo and Alejandro Hermosilla were arrested by police in dispersal.

The protesters erected the picket line at the main gate of the DAR building along Eliptical Road to call for the resignation of Pagdanganan over what they claim were cases of illegal land conversions.

But Pagdanganan defended the dispersal of the protesting farmers saying it was a police action.

"It (dispersal) was a police action. I did not order that. I was not even there (DAR building) when that happened," said Pagdanganan in a phone interview. The DAR chief said he was in Quezon meeting with farmers when the picket line was broken.

Pagdanganan said he will answer the charges filed against him before the CHR as he belied UNORKA’s claim that their members were denied of their right to assembly.

According to Pagdanganan, security guards posted at the DAR exercised maximum tolerance when some members of UNORKA stormed the DAR building and proceeded to the fourth floor of the building where his office is located.

They were allowed to proceed to the fourth floor where they held their program, said Pagdanganan.

As of the dispersal of the picket line, Pagdanganan said it was prompted by the explosion of a molotov cocktail inside the DAR compound which was allegedly hurled by one of the protesters.

We are just implementing the law (on agrarian reform). If there are those who would like to complain, they are free to do so but they must do it in a peaceful manner and without hurting anybody. There are processes for that. We are just doing our job here, said Pagdanganan.

Pagdanganan added that UNORKA is just a small group of farmers who are displeased with the rulings of the DAR.

Pagdanganan said there are many other groups of farmers who are satisfied with decisions of the DAR. He said that the cases of alleged illegal land conversions in Mindanao which were the basis of the farmers for calling for Pagdanganan’s ouster, are now undergoing review.

Pagdanganan added that UNORKA has no basis in calling for his ouster as he is just implementing the law on agrarian reform.