rustlings from the countryside

7/31/2019 Rustlings from the Countryside

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Kilos Ka Official Publication

San Luis Estate Tenants

are barred...

Kilos Ka Sultan Kudarat

DENR survey further

complicates Ancestral...

IMPLEMENTASYON

sa CARP sa Zamboanga...

58 Years of Struggle:

Revisiting...

Justice for Inday Natingga,Justice for ...


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Delaying the time, delaying justice, denying lives

The harassments of farmers in San Luis Estate in

Barangay Pinuyak, Lala, Lanao del Norte; the massacre inOsaeta Estate in Dinas, Zamboanga del Sur; the murder of

former Barangay Agrarian Reform Chairperson in Brgy.Pulang, Yuta, Lala, Lanao del Norte are just few among theincreasing cases of violence against the small tenant farmers

in Mindanao in relation to the implementation ofComprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with

Reforms (CARPER).

The threats to farmers by the exploitative landownersand land grabbers remain strong instrument of injustice inthe rural areas. Records of ejectment complaints by the

landlords have been increasing. Unfortunately, the tenantshave no capacity to hire lawyers to defend them from theharassment and threats of the landlords with their expensive

lawyers and their private armies. Worst, the farmers areejected out from the land they are tilling without court order.Indeed those who have less in life have also less in law.

The vast hectares of lands that are not yet covered bythe Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) underland distribution as well as under the leasehold system areowned either by known political leaders, influential families,or known landlords. Accordingly, there are still millions ofhectares of which are not yet covered by the agrarian reform

as far as the records of DAR is concerned. In fact, many ofthese claims have already started during the administration of

dictator Marcos under his Presidential Decree (PD) 27.However, it has been more than two (2) decades but muchhave still to be achieved.

Weeks ago, after the dialogue with the farmerswho came from different areas in Mindanao, PNoytogether with his cabinet members promised to fullyimplement the CARPER before 2016 ends. But thispromise was made in front of personalities of theinfluential Catholic Church who helped organize thedialogue.

The sincerity of the governments promise can begauged by its action. Just recently agrarian reform

program suffered budget cuts in its 2013 budget. Inaddition, the present administration has not released anywritten list stating target land holdings that yet to becovered in the coming years. There is also no indication

of significant change in the performance of theDepartment of Environment and Natural Resources(DENR), DAR and Land Bank personnel to speed up

the process of land distribution to the claimants.Meanwhile, landlords and corporations enjoy protectionand support of the police and military establishmentagainst the interest of the small farmers.

With all the double speaks of the government, thefarmer should never stop pressuring the latter. In his firststate of the Nation Address, the President, emphasizedthat kayo (the majority masses) ang boss ko, kayat

hindi maaring hindi ako makinig sa utos ninyo [ you aremy boss, therefore it is unlikely that I shouldnt listen toyour command] ... however, in the light of theperformance of the agrarian reform programs, it hasbecome crystal clear who really his bosses are, thelandlords and the giant agricultural companies.

If CARP and CARPER have been implementedproperly, the incident of killings and deaths among

farmers and those who are working in solidarity with thestruggle of the farmers as well those people working withthe landowners could have decreased or even avoided.

As the time for the implementation of theagrarian reform policy in the country is ending,harassment against the tenants are increasing. Thus it is

imperative for the government to make concrete plan on1.) how to cover the remaining CARPable landholdings,2.) how to speed up the process of land distribution, and3.) how to provide security to the tenant-farmers whohave been facing harassments. The police and military

should be mobilized for the protection of the farmers inthe countryside instead of the landowners. After allmajority of the latter also came from the rank of the smallfarmers

. Time is running out, Justice cannot wait anylonger and people will surely reclaim their dignifiedlives.-


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Ang Hunyo 12, 2012 mao ang ikaAng Hunyo 12, 2012 mao ang ika--114 nga kasumaran sa adlaw sa kagawasan sa114 nga kasumaran sa adlaw sa kagawasan sa

Pilipinas gikan sa pagpanaugPilipinas gikan sa pagpanaug--daug ug pagpanghibalot sa mga langyaw. Apan hangtod karondaug ug pagpanghibalot sa mga langyaw. Apan hangtod karon

nagpabilin ang demokratikong pangandoy sa mga gagmay nga magnagpabilin ang demokratikong pangandoy sa mga gagmay nga mag--uuma ug mga kabos sauuma ug mga kabos sa

banika. Hangtod niining mga adlawa, wala gihapoy kagawasan ang mabagang duot sa katawhanbanika. Hangtod niining mga adlawa, wala gihapoy kagawasan ang mabagang duot sa katawhan

tungod kay wala silay kasegurohan nga mapanagtungod kay wala silay kasegurohan nga mapanag--iya ang mga yuta nga ilang gitikad sa dugay naiya ang mga yuta nga ilang gitikad sa dugay na

nga panahon. Nahikot gihapon sila sa mando sa ilang agalon ug nagpabiling samohante nganga panahon. Nahikot gihapon sila sa mando sa ilang agalon ug nagpabiling samohante nga

kanunay nagkanunay nag--atubang sa hulga nga palagputon. Kapin sa 20 ka tuig na ang milabay nga gipatumanatubang sa hulga nga palagputon. Kapin sa 20 ka tuig na ang milabay nga gipatuman

ang Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) nga nagsugod niadtong 1988. Apan bisanang Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) nga nagsugod niadtong 1988. Apan bisankarun, wala pa gihapon kini mapatuman sa hingpit. Ang extension sa programa nga matapos sakarun, wala pa gihapon kini mapatuman sa hingpit. Ang extension sa programa nga matapos sa

2014 pinaagai sa Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extention with Reforms (CARPER),2014 pinaagai sa Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extention with Reforms (CARPER),

wala nagtabang nga mapapaspas ang implementasyon sa pagpangwala nagtabang nga mapapaspas ang implementasyon sa pagpang--apodapod--apod sa yuta. Daghangapod sa yuta. Daghang

mga luna nga gisugdan pagmga luna nga gisugdan pag--proseso sa milabay nga mga katuigan ug dekada apan hangtod karunproseso sa milabay nga mga katuigan ug dekada apan hangtod karun

wala pa madawat sa mga magwala pa madawat sa mga mag--uuma ang titulo nga maoy magpamatuod nga dili na silauuma ang titulo nga maoy magpamatuod nga dili na sila

mamahimong papahawaon sa yuta nga ilang gitikad sa pipila na ka henerasyon.mamahimong papahawaon sa yuta nga ilang gitikad sa pipila na ka henerasyon.

Ang kakulangon sa suportang serbisyo ngadto sa mga mag-uuma sama sa kapital,

teknolohiya, presyo, palisiya, merkado, pasilidad nahimong hinungdan sa ilang pagka-

bangkaruta. Nahimo kining hinungdan nga sila nagpabiling nagapos sa ilang mga agalon ugmga suki. Walay kagawasan ang mga mag-uuma kung asa nila i-baligya ang ilang produkto.

Walay kagawasan ang mga mag-uuma nga mo-takda sa presyo sa ilang mga produkto. Apan

ang dugang kapait kay walay nahimo ang mag-uuma sa walay undang nga pagtaas sa presyo sa

palaliton.

Ang padayong kalisod sa mga mag-uuma ingun man ang kabus sa banika usa ka tino

nga dagway nga wala pay tiunay ug hingpit nga kagawasan ang katawhan. Ang padayong pag-

domina sa global nga kapital apil ang pagpanghibalot niini sa mga palisiya ug programa

kabahin sa agrikultura ug pagkaon sa atong nasud nga nakadaut sa mga mag-uuma usa ka

dayag nga dagway ug nagpamatuod nga kita dili pa hingpit nga gawasnon.

Tungod kay dili pa man kita gawasnon sa pagpadagan sa atong kinabuhi, dayag lamang

nga atong pakusgon ang han-ay sa mga kabus sa banika; kauban ang mga mag-uuma,

mangingisda, kababayen-an ug kabatan-onang Lumad, Moro ug Mayoryang Setler nga

ipadayon ang paglihuk aron makab-ot ang tinuod nga kalambuan, kalinaw ug kagawasan sa

tibuok katawhan. --

Mensahe ngadto sa mga partisipante panahon sa duha ka adlaw nga para-legal training kauban ang mga mag

-uumang samohante sa Lanao del Norte kaniadtong Mayo 12-13, 2012.

Ni Mary Joy Villagomez (DKMP-Lanao)


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classified as Alienable and Disposable lands. Therefore,the farmers can apply for Free Patent titles.

However, during the community dialogue held inPoblacion Lebak on 7-8 June 2012, the problem resultingfrom the survey was pointed out as a major contributor tothe situation as it automatically divided the whole area

into a 5-hectare lot each. This exact division of the areainto five-hectare lots had resulted to overlapping ofindividual claims among farmers since their actual area of

cultivations is not exactly five hectares. Further, thesurvey plans also do not reflect the names of the actualcultivators that should have been verified during theactual conduct of the survey. Aside from the needs toascertain the actual claimants in relations to the original

occupants of the area before the conflict in 1970s, theso-called 5-hectare allocation per claimant does not havepermanent boundaries. There are no solid posts todetermine the boundaries of each lot.

The DENR also revealed during the consultationthat the selling of land claims to other farmers further

complicated the process of determining the actualbeneficiaries. Because the issue in Poloy-Poloy has beendragged for many years, conflict between and among theclaimants, holders of ADC and line agencies have startedto crop up. Accusations have been thrown to each othereven without basis blaming for the delay in processingthe land titles. This further deteriorates the fragilerelationships between and among the tri-peoples in thearea.

It is in this regard that Kilos Ka - Sultan Kudarattogether with TRIPOD as the (see page 6)

The Ancestral Domain Claim (ADC) of Datu DanteMastura clan in Poloy-poloy, Lebak, Sultan Kudarat, wasawarded in 1970s during the time of Ferdinand Marcos.It has an aggregate area of 2,000 hectares which is boundedby the ADC claims of Manobo Tribes from Lebak andKalamansig, Sultan Kudarat.

During the height of the conflict between ILAGAand the Baracuda in the 1970s, almost all the people of the

said community had evacuated including the Moro andLumads. Because many of the residents did notimmediately return to the area even when the conflictstarted to subside, Christian settlers from the Visayas andLuzon, and even Moro and Lumad migrants from

different parts of Mindanao started occupying andcultivating portions of the abandoned ancestral domain.

The occupants of the said fertile land were able toavail a social forestry program from the Department of

Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) which aimedat developing upland communities through ago-forestry and

crop cultivation. In this program, the beneficiaries receiveda Certificate of Stewardship Contract (CSC) which gavethe farmers a 25 years security of tenure. In return, thefarmers are obliged to develop and protect the environment.When these contracts expired in late 1990s, the leaders ofthe Mastura Clan referred to the DENR and askedclarifications on how to provide stronger security of tenureto the farmers living within the ancestral domain. Theclans series of follow-ups resulted to the conduct of asurvey dividing the whole ancestral domain. During the

consultation with the farmers, DENR personnel explainedthat the land covered by the ancestral domain claim is

A top view of som

portions of the

Ancestral Domainbeing claimed by

the family of Datu

Dante Mastura


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Photocourtes

ofTRIPODF

oundation

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Mula ng mabuo ang Kilusang Maralita sa

Kanayunan (KILOS KA), pangunahing naging panawaganng mga myembrong organisasyon at ng konseho nito ay

buoin ang mga promasyon sa mga probinsyang saklawnito. Kaya noong Mayo 7, 2012, isinagawa angpormasyon ng Kilusang Maralita sa Kanayunan

(Kilos Ka)-Sultan Kudarat sa pangunguna ng Tri-peopleOrganization against Disasters (TRIPOD) Foundation. Ito

ay dinaluhan ng mahigit limampung (50) partisipante nakumakatawan sa labing anim (16) na organisasyon mula satatlong (3) munisipalidad: Kulaman, Lebak atKalamansig. Ang mga partisipante ay binubuo ng sektorng mga magsasaka, mangingisda, kabataan at kababaihan.

Ang pagtitipong ito ay naging daan upang

mapag-usapan ang mga pangunahing problema at isyungkinakaharap ng mga mamamayan sa kanayunan ngprobinsya. Ilan lamang sa mga isyu natalakay ay angpatuloy na pagpasok ng mga kompanya ng mina sa mgabulubunduking bahagi ng lupain ng mga Lumad at

Bangsamoro, ang patuloy na pamumutol ng kahoy(logging) sa mga watershed areas, unti-unting pagkaubosng mga bakawan sa dagat na siya sanang mahalaga samga isada at iba pang lamang dagat, ang matindingpaggamit ng mga petrochemicals sa pagsasaka nanaging sanhi ng malakihang utang at pagkalugi ng mgamagsasaka, at ang kawalang seguridad sa pagmamay-aring lupa sa bahagi ng mga magsasakang migrante, mgakatutubo, at Bangsamoro.

Bilang pagsang-ayon sa pangangailangangmaorganisa ang mga sector sa kanayunan, ang mga

partisipante ay pumili ng kanilang mga opisyales atkinatawan. Ang sumusunod ay ang mga nahalal na mga

opisyales ng Kilos Ka-Sultan Kudarat:

Chairperson : Anthony Manaog

Vice Chairperson : Bonofacio AguadaSecretary : Mark UyDeputy Secretary : Doming Dewig

Treasurer : Bai Minda MasturaAuditor : Joel Aleta

PIO : Eddie Gura

Area Representatives:

Kalamansig

Brgy. Cadiz : Silverio Sales Jr.Brgy. Dumanggas Nuevo : Antonio ManaogSta. Clara : Joel Aleta

LebakKalamongog : Bonifacio AguadaPoloy-poloy : Eddie GuraDatu Guiabar : Al Kusain

Kulaman

Brgy. Poblacion : Doming DewigPeople s RepresentativesBangsamoro : Esnany GubelMigrante : Mark UyKatawhang Lumad : Juna Dewig

SektoralKababaihan (Bai Minda Mastura)Kabataan (Engrelyn Dagtay) --/

By M.L. Mandar

wa: Mga partisipante ng Pormasyon ng Kilos Ka sa Sultan Kudarat Kanan: Mga bagong halal na opisyales ng Kilos Ka-SK

Photo courtesy of TRIPOD Foundation


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(Survey ResultsPage 3)provincial Secretariat facilitated series of consultations between and among stakeholders toascertain issues which are not properly addressed in the past years. For the moment, KILOS KA Sultan Kudarat willimmediately facilitate the following activities:

Request DENR regional office to conduct re-survey of the area

Facilitate consultations with affected farmer-claimants of which the DENR will speak on the status of the survey andprocessing of titlesCome-up with rules and regulations regarding selling of land rightsRetrieval and compilation of documents related to the ADCs

Facilitate dialogue with municipal government of Kalamansig and Lebak, tribal leaders bounding the said claims as wellas with the DENR and National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) to sort-out possible overlapping of claims.

By Jun Tardo

/ 6

It was December 28, 2011 when the tenants were forcefully ejected from the 10.3 hectare land they are tilling bythe order of the land owner in person of Mr. Rodrigo San Luis on the grounds that the farmers had mortgaged their

tenanted lands. The land owner also ordered his men to fence the perimeterof the disputed land and prohibited the farmers from harvesting their crops

- like rice, coconut and lemon fruits. When the farmers refused to leave, theywere constantly harassed by the blue guards hired by the land owner. Theseblue guards are the ones being pointed out by the tenants who shot andwounded a farmer who was harvesting rice. One of the blue guards was alsoidentified as responsible for hitting severely Mrs. Luz Hernandez, one of the

tenants, while she was harvesting her lemons. Mrs. Manuela Tengzon, a widow and a tenant of San Luis Estate, is

now working in the neighborhood farms after prohibited to till her tenantedland. She opted to stay inside her house located within the fenced land. Shewas crying as she remembers her dreadful experience and how she and her 4daughters endured the harassments and threats they received from the blue guards. She said The blue guards harvestedour rice. We were not allowed to harvest our crops. They (blue guards) warned to shoot us if we come closer to our

crops. We have to ask permission from them if we are going out and ask them again to open the gate if we are to go backto our house.

Mr. Jaime de los Reyes, a son of Mrs. Constancia delos Reyes, had helped his tenant mother, was among thosetenants prohibited to return in their house and even to enter the vicinity of the estate. He said that his father was one ofthe original tenants tilling the land since 1957. When his father (Mr. Epifanio delos Reyes) died in 1985, his mother

assumed the tenancy. He said, though the land is just small, it is important to us because it is where we were born andwhere we get our income and food to sustain our daily needs. We are hoping that we can get back to the land and start

working again as soon as possible because if that will not happen, we will die in hunger. This has been the common stories and fate shared by millions of farmers in the Philippines in the light ofComprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) implementation since 1988. The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform

Program Extension with Reforms (CARPER) is due to end on 2014 after its 6-year implementation. However, there are still many JAIMEs, MANUELAsand LUZs who do not have security of land tenure despite their more than 20years of struggle for land ownership.

As the countrys land distribution policy is about to be concluded,farmers started to worry that their almost three (3) decades land struggles willcome up to nothing. PNoy, the current president, promised the Filipino people

to finish the land distribution during his term. However, these words and

promises should be translated into words and concrete actions. --By Mark Mandar

This is posted near the gate of the fenced Estate

This rice field was fenced, pro-hibiting the farmer-tillers enter


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kamatuoran maoy nagpamatuod nga angimplementasyon sa Agrarian Reform sa Zamboangadel Sur dili pa kompleto. Gani, ang mga tenante niininga mga luna o Estate bag-o lang nakahibalo ngaanaa ang programa sa Agrarian Reform ug kini usalang sa mga daghan pang mga luna sa Zamboangadel Sur ang nagpabiling gipanag-iyahan sa mgadagkung yutaan.

Tungod niini nga mga sitwasyon, nanawaganang mga gagmay nga mag-uuma nga:

Ipakusog pa ang pag-implementar sa agrarianreform ilabina ang sa mga dagku pangkayutaan.Pakusgan ang pag-edukar sa katawhan niiningmaong balaod aron mas lapad ang maabtanniini.

Chairperson : Alejandro L. Saren, Sr.

ViceChairperson : Reynaldo B. MonteverdeSecretary-General : Joseph L. BuacTreasurer : Rose F. AlberoAuditor : Esterlita B. Lariba

Lumad : Timuay Librado GandoyWomen : Helaria VillanuevaYouth : Reneboy Balives

Margos : Mario ElorzaGuipos : Rose MagallanesV. Sagun : Charlito LanutanLapuyan : Esterlita LingatingSan Miguel : Ernesto SabacahanDinas : Benvineda DiganPitogo : Melquiades EgotTigbao : Rosita MegioKumalarang : Pascual MasaligDumalinao : Liedyjen Ligan --

Human milabay ang ika 24 ka tuig saimplementasyon sa CARP daghan pa gihapon angmga mag-uuma nga wala nahatagan sakahigayonan nga mamahimong benepisyaryo niini.Sa Probinsya sa Zamboanga del Sur, daghang mgamag-uuma ang wala gayod makahibalo niini ngabalaod ug ang uban adunay gamay nga kahibaloapan kulang pa kini aron ma proseso ang pag-angkon sa yuta.

Pipila sa mga areas sa pagkakaron, wala

nahuman ang proseso sa pag-angkon sa yutahuman sa kapin 20 ka tuig na ang milabay. Kiniilabina kung ang mga tag-iya magdumili sapagsunod niini nga balaod. Ang mga MunicipalAgrarian Reform Officers mangita og palusot kungkini imong pangutanon ngano nga wala mahiapilkining mga lunang dagku.

Usa ka ehemplo niini mao ang luna sa mgaOzaeta sa V. Sagun. Ang pamilya Ozaeta adunaykapin kon kulang 140 ektaryas ug gibahinbahin kini

sa pito (7)ka mga anak.Ang 5 ka anak adunay tagsa-tagsa ka titulo

nga Homestead Patent nga adunay 20 kapin kaektarya matag usa ug duha (2) ka anak adunay FreePatent Titles nga adunay 15 ug 17 ektarya matagusa. Usa niining nanag-iya sa Free Patent Titles angnagvoluntary offer to sell sa iyang yuta (17ektaryas), apan anaa pa sa unang ang-ang sapagproseso sa pag-ila sa iyang mga benepisyaryo.Ang uban nagpabilin kini nga gipanag-iyahan sa

mga Ozaetas. Daghan pang luna ang adunaysusamang kahimtang niini. Kini nga mga


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Accounts of their 58-year struggle to bring backtheir land grabbed by government agencies are asfollows:

The efforts to reclaim the ancestral land through petitionletter to the Philippine President was formally started byTimuey Paares Bidangan, one of the first scholars of the

tribe in Barongis, Libungan, Cotabato. However, instead ofconsidering the action, the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI)

responded by manipulating and issuing aYellow Bookcontaining names of elders and leaders of Sinimburanen, a

sub-tribe of Erumanen Menuvu, who allegedly donatedthe land.

Datu Pedro Ampalid sent a letter to Hon. Jesus Amparo,the State Minister for Presidential Assistance on theNational Minorities (PANAMIN) asking to reduce the485.14 hectares into 100 hectares and the remaining385.14 hectares shall be allocated to the clan members

but the revered Datu received no reply until his lastbreath on August 13, 1991. Since then, there was seriesof letters/statements sent by elders of the community to

the Philippine President demanding the return ofancestral land.

The Sinimburanen and other sub-tribes of Erumanen neMenuvu organized the Aromanen Sinimburan Tindeg

Bansa, Inc. (ASTBI) to systematically advance thestruggle to re-occupy the ancestral land.

More than 400 families of ASTBI staged a peacefuldemonstration in re-occupying the area. The familieserected their houses and till the lands inside the BPI lot

for corn and vegetables. As a result, the families were

constantly harassed by the BPI security guards and hadreceived death treats.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) represented bySenen Bacani and the Philippine Coconut Authority

represented by Executive Director Wencilito Andanarinked a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) leasing 303hectares out of 485.14 hectare of BPI lot for theestablishment of Coconut Seed Farm Production Center(CSSFPC). The MOA provided among others that thenPCA shall assume the primary responsibility of ejecting

the squatters (Eumanen ne Menuvu) while the DA shallsee page 10)

/ 8

Alleged faked document by one

of the contracting parties ( the

Buyer). This is found after one

of the elders of the tribe passed

away.

The Ancestral Domain Claim of the ErumanenNe Menuvu includes more than thirteen thousand(13,000) hectares of land covering twelve (12)

barangays all situated in the Municipality of Carmen,

North Cotabato. This land, which was formerly the setof their tribal governance and cultural identity, is

majority being occupied and taken from them throughdeceitful legal means by many of the political leadersand outsiders (migrant settlers) thus dispossessing

them of their land.This struggle went through years and decades

enduring the different threats and harassments by theopponents. It has even caused them lives of some of

their tribal leaders and members. In fact, just recently,in the effort of claiming what is theirs, another member

of the tribe, Mr. Alvin Cabitin, was shot dead while hewas participating in the picket in one of the areaswithin their ancestral domain.

Parcel of this land is now being occupied bythe government agencies, Philippine Coconut Authority(PCA) and the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI). Thecoverage was originally measured 50 hectares when it

was leased from the Sinimburanen tribe in 1936, butby virtue of Presidential Proclamation 772 underPres. Manuel Quezon, the coverage was increased to485.14 hectares, proclaiming such area asgovernment reservation without the consent and

knowledge of the tribe.


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Justice for Inday Natingga, Justice for the small tenant-farmersJune 22, 2012

Official Public Statement

It was five (5) in the afternoon of June 19, 2012 when Venecia Inday Natingga was murdered along thehighway of Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte while she was going home and riding in a single motorcycle from the Poblacion.

She sustained seven (7) gun shots. Identified suspects are said to be hired by the opponents of small tenant-farmers inone of the land disputes that she was assisting.

Inday Natingga is a known farmer-leader of DKMP-Lanao (DemokratikongKilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas - Lanao) and a strong advocate for the protection ofthe rights of small farmers especially the tenants. She was a former Barangay Captain ofPulang Yuta, Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte; a former chairman of Barangay AgrarianReform Council; current Chairwoman of cluster ARC community in the area; and aconsistent advocate of Agrarian Reform. Her actions until the last moments of her lifeproved her strong conviction that rural peace and development will only come to reality if

small farmers will have security of the lands they are tilling. She has been very vocalagainst land grabbing and a pressure to government agencies involved in the processing ofland claims.

A week before she was murdered, she together with other para-legals and officersof DKMP Lanao, a federation of small farmers in Lanao del Norte, received death

threats in relation to their strong advocacies of protecting the peasants in their barangay.

Her death adds to the long lists of unsolved killings of farmer leaders all over-the country. In Lanao areas, casesof harassment and human rights violations against tenants have intensified in recent days. In San Luis Estate in Pinuyak,Lala, Lanao del Norte, a total of 7 tenants were ejected from their tenanted lands without order from a court but by thelawyer of the landlord (San Luis). Of the same estate, a tenants husband was murdered on March of this year andanother farmer harvesting the rice field was shot at his leg by one of the security guards hired by the landowner lastJanuary. All of these cases are languishing in local courts without resolution. In 2009, Mr. Dimavivas , a para-legal fromDAR-Kapatagan, was shot dead after assisting the farmers who are illegally ejected from Aradasa Estate in Brgy.Tiacongan, Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte. Today his case went unheard.

As the government is not doing its responsibility of implementing the agrarian reform program as mandated bythe Constitution and existing laws in a swift and timely manner, community leaders and the small farmers continue toface threats, intimidations and even deaths.

The death of Inday Natingga should serve as a wake-up call for the government and the national agenciesinvolved in the implementation of agrarian reform program that their slow action has been resulting to violence in ruralcommunities. In most cases, the small farmers do not receive protection from the government agencies against theviolence perpetuated by the landlords. Instead, the police or military are usually supporting the harassments andintimidation by the landowners.

It has been 24 years since the implementation of CARP which started as centerpiece policy to address socialjustice in the rural areas under the Administration of the mother of the current president, the late Corazon Aquino in1988. The President, Mr. Aquino has promised recently, to fully implement the agrarian reform targets before his termends in 2016. However, if the farmers and community leaders who are protecting the rights of the peasant and smallfarmers are being murdered, intimidated and denied of any protection from government forces, the promise of thepresident will surely fail. Unless the government will use its vast executive powers forces to implement the laws andstrongly implement the agrarian reform program with will and conviction, rural peace and development will remain abattle cry.

In the light of Inday Natinggas murder, the latest barbaric act against a farmer human rights defender, KilusangMaralita sa Kanayunan (KILOS-KA), a movement of rural organizations from Mindanao strongly calls the ruralcommunities throughout the country and peasant organizations and supporters from other countries to condemn theAdministration of President Aquino for his unsupportive action and slow paced implementation of agrarian reformprogram. KILOS-KA also calls CARPER implementation oversight committee of the Philippine Congress to conduct an

inquiry in aid of legislation in resolving the increasing violence and harassment (See Page 11)

Taken on August 2010 during theFarmers Consultation in Sitio

Camalig, Magpatao, Lala, Lanao

del Norte where she was one of

the participants


10/12

(58 years of Struggle Page 8)provide whatever administrative and legal assistance PCA may require

The PCA foreman Mr. Fred Dalumpines accompanied by PCA laborer, heavily armed CAFGUs and PCA SecurityGuards cleaned the partially harvested cornfields of ASTBI farmers without any permission. Five (5) days later, the

field was planted with coconut seedlings. But a week later, more than 100 ASTBI members uprooted the seedlings

and turned it over to PCA. The PCA filed, after a week, a case of

malicious mischief

against ASTBI members buteventually it was dismissed.

More than 200 ASTBI members picketed at the PCA main gate. While the ASTBI members were stagingdemonstration, the PCA continued to fence the 303 hectares land with barbed wire. The picket lasted for several

months. The tribal leaders received death treats and harassment (Native Charge Mayor, The Mindanao Daily Mirror,22 January 1993)

The House Committee on Cultural Communities conducted a congressional hearing at BPI, Aroman, Carmen,Cotabato. In effect, the Committee issued a status quo decision to protect the rights of the members of the

ASTBI. However, the BPI and PCA did not honor the decision. They continued to operate without taking intoconsideration the status quo decision and the welfare of the claimants.

The Honorable Congressman Jeremias Zapata, the former Chairman of the House Committee on National CulturalCommunities wrote to Hon. Salvador Escudero III, then Secretary of Department of Agriculture (DA) asking him for

symbolically return the Land to the Erumanen ne Menuvu but there was no action taken from the side of the DA.

The Republic Act 8371 also known as the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) was enacted. This legislationpropels high expectation among community to peacefully claim back their land. The section 8 of Article 2 of theLaw emphasized.the right to ownership and possession of the indigenous peoples to their ancestral land shall be

recognized and protected... However, the IPRAs lengthy and costly mandatory requirements to legally claim

back the ancestral land caused the delay of the entire process.

During the National Consultation on Indigenous Peoples Agenda on Food Security at the Bahay Ugnayan, GoodShepherd Convent, Aurora Blvd., Quezon City, the case was brought to the attention of the Senator M.A. Madrigal.Thus, M.A. Madrigal introduced a Resolution No. 293 directing the Committee on Cultural Communities to

Investigate, in aid of legislation, the Sinimburanen claim for the return of their ancestral land in Aroman, Carmen,CotabatoHowever, the resolution went unheard up to now.

The tribe never gave up the struggle hoping that one day they will succeed in brining back their land whichthey dreamed of for decades. Such decade of struggle slowly bear fruit. In the letter dated July 5, 2011 ofCommunity Development Officer of Libungan Community Service Center informing the Community Environment

and Natural Resources (CENR) Officer of Carmern, North Cotabato of the ongoing process for application/petitionfor Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) which is filed by the Erumanen Menuvu states that anyapplication for the land title in favor to non-indigenous peoples including indigenous peoples who are not memberof the recognized clan of the legitimate claimants within the areas shall subject for the verification and evaluation

with this office.Despite this development, the tribe is still confronted with different problems regarding their land claims.

Some portion of their more than 13 thousand hectares ancestral land are titled with out their knowledge. Most ofthese titled lands are now owned by the migrants settlers and influential politicians in North Cotabato. Justrecently, their ancestral land is earmarked as target for oil palm plantation where an oil palm refinery will be alsobuilt.

All the years of their struggle, what theyve wanted is to get back their land where they can freely exercise

their cultural traditions and governance.--Source: Document created during the Kebpengirerehun ne kevurunan (an annual ceremonial gathering for harvest season) held last 29 October2007 at Savang te Sinimburan, Aroman, Carmen, Cotabato which has been submitted to the authorities concerned on the issues.

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(Justice for Inday Natingga...Page 9) against farmer leaders and to speed upTHhe implementation of agrarian reformprogram.

KILOSKA is also calling the attention of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to order

the Philippine National Police and Local Chief Executives to protect the small farmers against any form of harassmentfrom the landlords and should not use the alibi that the land is a private property so they could not help the farmers.

For the international communities, KILOS KA urges all partners supporting agrarian reform to voice out their

sentiments against harassment among farmer leaders and inform the government of Mr. Aquino to take concrete actions.These actions can be in the form of serious implementation of agrarian reform as mandated by laws and resolve the casesperpetuated against farmers leaders.--

Kilusang Maralita sa Kanayunan (KILOS KA)

Since 2008, the program on Peace Building and Food Sovereignty initiated by different NGOs and POs, knownas Tri-people Food Sovereignty Network (TFSN), has been working on the different rural and development issues. TheTFSN has initiated for the formation of Mindanao Rural Poor Organization. Series of consultations and discussionswere held to discuss the characteristics, working mechanisms and fundamental needs to fully realize the project of theformation and strengthening the mass campaign body.

Discussion on the plan of the creation of peasant and rural poor organization, the national and international

situation of peasants and other rural sectors were conducted. Local, national and global actions and initiatives towardsprotecting the remaining natural resources for farmers as well as their human rights condition in the face of continuousthreat and danger targeting their sector were also thoroughly discussed.

On March 13-15, 2010, the Mindanao Rural Poor Movement (MTPRM), through the Mindanao Rural Poor

Congress, was finally formed. It was held in CUIC, Suarez, Iligan City , participated by rural sectors from differentareas in Mindanao to wit; CARAGA, Greater Cotabato Area, Greater Lanao Area and Zamboanga Peninsula.

Having seen the necessity of expanding its membership and scope of action on the national level, on June 3-5,2011 during the council meeting as mandated by the Assembly, its name was changed into Kilusang Maralita saKanayunan (KilosKa) or Rural Poor Movement.

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Kilos Ka Council

Lanao Area:Jamail D. MagadTagoloan, Lanao del Norte

Mary Joy B. Villagomez-Lala, Lanao del Norte

Fita A. Dulang - Tubod, Lanao del Norte

Zamboanga Peninsula:Rosalina R. SumosonTudela, Misamis Occ.

Ma. Bella M. Pampilo Polanco, Zambo. Norte

Norberto A. TilaoDinas, Zambo. Sur

CARAGA:Florgie MortaTubay, Agusan del Norte

Ruben S. CuasitoSibagat, Agusan del SurAdelina B. DumindaLa Paz, Agusan del Norte

Cotabato Area:Romy M. PradiNorth Upi, Maguindanao

Benedick E. JulianoLebak, Sultan Kudarat

Melinda B. GallegoCotabato City

KILOS KA

Executive Committee

Chairperson:

Alejandro L. Saren, Sr.Vice-Chairperson:

Datu Raffy MendozaSecretary General:

Lydia C. MangcaoDeputy Secretary:

Sunnie Z. JumuadTreasurer:

Maribel SajolAuditor:

Rolando AmbanganPIO:

Charlie Trozo

The Movement is concerned with

the following issues:1. Security of tenure among small farmers

and fishers folks through fully

implementation of agrarian reform, IPRAand Integrated Social Forestry and

support services.

2. Environmental protection against

indiscriminate mining, logging, watershed

destruction.3. Protection of primary food production

sites against corporate land grabbing and

privatization of communal waters;

4. Lobbying for policy in support to food

sovereignty

5. Building relations within the national andglobal to pursue the demand and

protection of rural communities.

6. Strengthening the rural sector within and

among the tri-peoples, women and youth.


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This months Kilos Ka Campaign Poster for CARPER

1.093 million hectares - DAR backlog as of January 2012 of which94% came from privately owned lands.

In 2011, only 94% of the 200,000 hectares national target for theyear has been achieved according to Task Force Mapalad (TFM).

More than 300 haciendas has to be covered in Negros.CARPER will expire in 2 years but still 1 million hectares has to bedistributed.

In 2011, it only accomplished 54.6% of Land Acquisition anddistribution (LAD) target based on 250,000 has. annual target underCARPER.

As of the end of last year, DAR revealed that it has distributed 4.3million of which sizable portions comprised of public agriculturallands.

CARPER calls for P150 billion annual budget while the DBM cuts

DAR budget requests from 30 billion to P18 billion and cut anotherP4.3 billion in support services.

Source:

Address: 0044 Macapagal Highway, Tubod Iligan City Contact Persons:

Contact #: (063) 223-2508 Fax: (063) 223-3568 Alejandro Sarren (Chairperson)

Email: [email protected] Jun Tardo (Secretariat)Blog: kilusangmaralita.blogspot.com Mark Mandar (Secretariat)

Facebook: Kilusang Maralita sa Kanayunan

The Rustlings in the Countryside,

Kasikas sa Kabanikanhan in Cebuano, is the

official name of this publication. Rustlings means

energetic and loud voices. The title illustrates the

outcry of the rural poor in the face of landlessness,

poverty, inequity, harassment and exploitation.Movements of the rural poor have started to make

their sounds and their rustlings. Soon there voices

from the countrysides are ought to be heard.

Jun Tardo and Mark Mandar

Tanie SuanoMary Joy Villagomez

Jojo Ambangan

Burt Obedencio

Gittel SaquilabonFrancis AlolodJolie N. Gargar

The cover photo depicts the

tragic experience of tenant-farmers

under the slow paced implementation ofagrarian reform program in the

Philippines. The picture was taken by

Mindanao Peoples Peace Movement-Katawhang Migrante Secretariat

(MPPM-KM) during the Fact Finding

Mission of several non-governmentorganizations and peoples organizations

in San Luis Estate, Pinuyak, Lala, Lanao

del Norte on May 16, 2012. In

the said estate, there are 7 families of

tenant-farmers who have been ejected

from the lands they are tilling without

legal order from the court. Aside from

the ejectment, the estate was also fenced

with barbed wire to prevent the farmers

from entering back to the disputed land.The farmers have also been facing harassment in the form of

physical and psychological threats from the blue guards who are hired by the

landowner. They were also prohibited to harvest their crops.

The first issue of the RUSTLINGS from the Countryside condemns

the system of land distribution in the country which is responsible in the

continuous violence that the tenant-farmers are facing in the hands of the

landlords and their private military and oftentimes in connivance with theagencies involved in the agrarian reform.

rustlings from the countryside

Documents