Farmers back in contested property

Three days after their release from jail,  more than 50 farmers  involved in the agrarian  land conflict in Aloguinsan town returned to  set up camp in the  contested property of Hacienda Gantuangco.

Members of militant groups Bayan Muna headed by secretary general Arman Perez, Anakpawis, and Karapatan Central Visayas joined the farmers for a press conference yesterday.

Perez said they would organize a fact-finding mission  with the Farmers’ Development Center (Fardec) to investigate the Aug. 29 commotion  in the hacienda.

A total of 39 demonstrators, mostly farmers, were arrested when they  tried to prevent a court sheriff from serving an order for the fencing of the 168-hectare hacienda by the  Gantuangco claimants. The farmers clashed with over 100 anti-riot policemen who were pelted with urine, human waste, Indian pana darts and acid-like liquid.

The group will hold a “solidarity night” tonight with  former senator John Sonny  Osmeña, who provided the money to post their bail on charges of direct assault and disobedience to persons in authority.

Perez said  private guards of the Gantuangcos continued to watch them and took photographs of the activities.

“We don’t want to start violence with them because it’s not their fault. They are just there because of orders,” Perez said.

No date has been  set yet for a  meeting, but Perez said he was glad that   Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma told reporters on Sunday that he was willing to mediate in the land row.

Perez said  the group would bring to the hospital for treatment a 59-year-old woman whom they believed was psychologically affected by her arrest last week. Perez said the woman refused to eat and speak since the arrest.

Meanwhile, the 36 farmers and three students in the Aloguinsan clash  are asking the court to help ensure their safety. They  filed a petition for a writ of Amparo before the Regional Trial Court in Toledo City, asking the court to  issue a permanent protection order and restrain policemen and some private individuals “from doing further harm or even approaching” them.

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

The petitioners said they also want the charges of direct assault and resisting arrest filed against them to be dropped. Respondents of the petition include  Senior Supt. Ager Ontog, PNP  Central Visayas director; Senior Supt. Patrocinio Comendador of the Cebu provincial police; Chief Insp. Rusty Santos,  Insp. Julius Ompad, chief Provincial Investigation and Detective Management Branch; and Senior Supt. James Tolentino, chief of the Aloguinsan police. /Ador Vincent S. Mayol and Candeze R. Mongaya, Reporter