Farmers, students post bail, mull counter charges

AFTER the women, it was the turn of the male farmers and three college students to be released from jail at 2 p.m yesterday following their arrest last week.

The male farmers stepped out of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) after posting bail pending the resolution of the charges filed against them in court.

Three female minors were committed to the Operation Second Chance in barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City.

Last Friday evening, all female farmers were released from the Pinamungajan town detention cell after last week’s clash with police in Aloguinsan town.

One of the farmers, Emerito Roble, had a tearful reunion with his wife Thelma and daughter. Emerito, who just had his haircut before leaving jail, said he would continue to support the San Roque Farmer’s Association (SRFA) fight for land.

His wife Thelma told Cebu Daily News that her husband was only helping the women farmers who were hosed down along with the male farmers and other protestors by the firetrucks.  Emerito cut off the hose of the firetruck.

The Roble family are natives of Pinamungajan town.

Thelma said they joined the protest action to support their fellow farmers.

Last Friday, one of the women farmers, 50-year-old Felisidad Lausa recounted how they slept on bare, concrete floor for four nights while awaiting their release.

“I’m grateful I was released from prison. The policemen who arrested us are heartless,” Lausa said.

The parents of Januelle Rontos, one of the students of the University of the Philippines- Cebu (UP-Cebu) who joined the protest action, hugged him after his release.

Jano said his arrest and detention will become the subject of his thesis next month.

“Useless ang experience kung dili ni ipadayon (The experience will be useless if I won’t pursue it),” Jano told Cebu Daily News.

He said his thesis will focus on local autonomy specifically on the empowerment of the barangays.

Lawyer Poch Cinco said they are set to file counter-charges against the policemen who arrested the farmers.

He said they will request Regional Trial Court Judge Hermes Montero of Branch 57 to inhibit from handling the cases against the farmers.

Cinco said he was disappointed when Montero left the court last Friday without signing the release order of the farmers.

“Why did he (Montero) left when he knew that we were still processing the bail. He is not neutral,” he said.

It was Judge Ruben Altubar of Branch 29 of the Regional Trial Court Branch 29  who issued the release order for all the detainees who face charges of direct assault and resistance of persons in authority.

Lawyer Ian Mantijacon filed a writ of amparo in court.

A writ of amparo is a court order aimed at protecting the constitutional rights of a person especially victims of extrajudicial killings.

“Despite the difficulties we experienced, we are still happy that the detainees were released today,” Manticajon said.

The farmers were met by lawyers Cinco and Kim Mendoza at the Farmers’ Development Center in Cebu City yesterday.

They will return home in Aloguinsan, midwest Cebu today.

The farmers, including three college students, were arrested last Monday after they clashed with policemen over ownership of an agricultural land in Aloguinsan, midwest Cebu.

From the original amount of P12,000, the court allowed each of the accused to pay  P6,000 on charges of direct assault.

On charges of “resistance and disobedience of persons in authority,” each of the accused were made to pay P1,000 instead of the P2,000 recommended by the prosecutor.

Their lawyers requested the court to reduce the bail of the detainees saying “there is no risk of flight on the part of the accused.”

Former senator John Henry “Sonny” Osmeña paid the bail of the detainees except for Jade Manson and Melanie Montanio who used their own money.

Osmeña is a former congressman of Cebu’s third district.

The farmers were accused of attacking policemen using pieces of woods, bamboo lance, scythe, bolos, slingshot, Indian arrows and knives during their enforcement of a temporary restraining order issued by the court.

The police said the court allowed the Gantuangco family to fence a parcel of land in barangay Bonbon, Aloguinsan.

But when the sheriff tried to implement the court order, the respondents allegedly argued and insisted their claims on the lot.