Lawmaker warns against CARP extension

MANILA, Philippines - Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teodoro Casiño yesterday urged Congress to pass a new agrarian reform law instead of extending the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

“The mere fact that the CARP needs another extension even if it has been going on for decades is proof that it is a failure. Until now seven out of 10 farmers in the country are landless and poor. In some areas it is eight out of 10,” Casiño said.

“It is high time that the Aquino administration admit that we need a genuinely progressive agrarian reform law and not a flawed one like CARP,” added Casiño, one of the authors of the proposed Genuine Agrarian Reform law.

He said that if the Supreme Court (SC)rules in favor of the Aquino and Cojuangco families, who own Hacienda Luisita,  they would get P10 billion based on the 2006 valuation of the 4,915.7466 hectares up for distribution in the sugar estate.

“But if CARP ends as scheduled and the SC would not rule in Aquino-Cojuangco’s favor then the valuation would remain at the 1989 value of Luisita. The point is the longer the CARP is, the worse for farmers,” Casiño said.

Meanwhile, farm workers and their sympathizers have lined up a series of activities to commemorate the eighth anniversary of the massacre in Hacienda Luisita.

The Alyansa ng Mangagawang Bukid ng Asyenda Luisita (Ambala) said the activities will start as early as Tuesday with a press conference, forum, picket in Tarlac City and a benefit gig  in Angeles City.

 Ambala said a “misang bayan” for the slain farmers will be held at the Baclaran Church on Nov. 14 and protest rallies at Mendiola on Nov. 15 and at the Hacienda Luisita on Nov. 16.

“Eight years after the Hacienda Luisita massacre, no one has been made accountable for the killings,” Ambala said. – With Ding Cervantes