LUCENA CITY—Farmers of San Andres, Quezon, continue to suffer harassment and violence in pursuit of their struggle to own land under the government’s agrarian reform program, an official of a nongovernment organization said.
Jansept Geronimo, spokesperson of Kilusan para sa Tunay na Repormang Agraryo at Katarungan Panlipunan (Katarungan), cited the arrest on Dec. 29, 2013 of Diolito Milliones, one of the 16 farmers who have been receiving death threats, on charges of coconut robbery.
A report from San Andres police station, a copy of which was obtained from the Quezon police headquarters in Camp Nakar here, said Milliones was arrested for the “illegal harvest” of 200 pieces of coconuts worth P1,600 from the farm of Edwin Ausa.
Geronimo said the charges against Milliones were “concocted” by the person suspected of being behind the wave of threats and harassment against farmer leaders in San Andres.
He identified Ausa as owner of big tracts of land in San Andres.
Immediately after Milliones’ arrest, Geronimo said San Andres police raided the houses of three other farmer leaders—Randy Fuentes, Edito Ejorcados and Nelson Fuentes—on suspicion they were keeping illegal firearms but police found nothing.
Geronimo said he doubted whether police were sincere in investigating the harassment of and threats against the farmers. “It seems the police themselves have joined the harassment,” he said.
Senior Supt. Ronaldo Genaro Ylagan, Quezon police provincial director, said members of the task force he formed to investigate the harassment of farmers are still investigating.
Ylagan said farmers, however, refuse to cooperate with police.
Geronimo said some of farmers have gone into hiding for fear for their and their families’ safety.
The farmers, all members of the Kilusang Magbubukid sa Bondoc Peninsula (KMBP) and residents of the adjacent villages of Tala and Camplora in San Andres, have been receiving death threats after KMBP leader Elisa Tulid was shot and killed while she and her husband were walking home on Oct. 19, 2013. She was dead on the spot while her husband survived the attack.
KMBP said more than 50 farmers have been charged in court with qualified theft by their landlords. Most of the farmers have gone into hiding because they can’t afford to pay P60,000 each in bail for their freedom.