FARMERS in Davao del Norte belonging to the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas on Tuesday said they will not leave the Department of Agrarian Reform central office in Quezon City and will continue to camp out until the agency orders to install them at a portion of the Tagum Development Corp. property in Davao.
Pedro Arnado, KMP Southern Mindanao chairperson, said they are determined to continue with their protest outside DAR on Elliptical Road, as they urged acting Secretary Rosalinda Bistoyong to ensure their installation at the Tadeco banana plantation.
Some 259 farmer-beneficiaries are demanding their installation in a 374-hectare banana plantation of the Tadeco lands in Carmen, Davao del Norte owned by Antonio Floirendo Sr.
He blamed the agency’s incompetence in Region 11 that forced the farmer-beneficiaries from Mindanao to travel all the way to Metro Manila and to camp out outside the agency’s main office since Oct. 11.
“Agrarian reform beneficiaries of various cooperatives under contract with Tadeco of the Floirendos are demanding installation to the lands, and have petitioned DAR for the release of installation orders. As to why the orders are taking almost forever to be released, only DAR and its officials will know,” he said.
On Nov. 6, the DAR administrative service director, Rene Colocar, requesting the Quezon City government to usher the KMP protestors to designated protest areas, such the city’s freedom parks, and clear their camp-out site.
DAR complained that due to the farmers’ camp, pedestrians and its employees could no longer make use of the pathway, and that the camps had been a threat to the safety of DAR clients and employees.
Moreover, DAR said the improper use of the camp site was “unsanitary to the environment” and hazardous to the health and safety of the public.”
Yesterday, the city’s Department of Public Order and Safety inspected the place and the farmers’ situation.
“We view this distasteful letter of DAR as an order to disperse and dismantle the farmers’ camp-out. In case DAR forgot, those camped outside the agency are their clients — farmers and agrarian reform beneficiaries who came all the way from far-flung provinces to follow-up the resolution of land cases,” Arnado said, adding if only they would have their way, they would go back to Davao.
He said farmer leader Nelson Bianson of the Wadecor Employees Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association Inc. succumbed to cardiac arrest in Quezon City while following up their land cases on Oct. 10.
Arnado said they had already conducted at least five dialogues with DAR officials and countless follow-ups, to no avail.