Defenseless Farmer Beneficiaries of Lourmah, Mahayag, ZDS Contest for Tenancy and their Rights for Shelter

By JONG CADION

MAHAYAG, ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR - The Alliance of Farmers in Zamboanga del Sur-Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (AFUZ-KMP) denounce for this week’s

miserable occurrences to Lourmah farmers. About 28 houses were planned to be demolished by Roque Abuton Bernad, 23 were successfully devastated while 5 others are waiting.

More than 100 farmers who belong to the Samahan ng mga Magbubukid sa Lourmah (SAMALOURMAH-AFUZ-KMP) struggled hand in hand together with their children to defend their houses on Monday, June 3. But they were outnumbered by the members of the demolition team and police.

The barricade started at 9:30 AM the other day to Joven Espiga’s house. The demolition team failed to assail because of the barricading farmers. However, when the demolition team transferred to Solomon Hoy’s house, the farmers dashed into but were blocked by the Mahayag Police and mobile group, with guns aimed at them. 

The AFUZ-KMP Chairperson Juanito Caramba together with Solomon Hoy, Vice Chairperson of SAMALOURMAH; Rev. Fr. June Nilo Vics Vicar Foreine of Salug Valley Area- Roman Catholic Church and other professionals deliberate the rights of the people, the due process, gun band and the DILG guidelines towards Sheriff Osmundo Vecido and a certain police Manese, but they won’t listened. Chief of Police Tompong was silent during the interview but commanded to position the police with shield to hinder the barricading farmers.

Farmers realized that the government’s judiciary, executive and legislative system were not for them.  They’re trust were already drained. The Mahayag municipal mayor Lorna Espina is silent regarding the situation. Judge Edilberto Absin of Regional Trial Court Branch 18 on the other hand was very inconsiderate regarding the rights of the people for life and human security. He was even bias for he just based his judgment to the Abuton. 

The DILG failed to explain the Sheriff regarding their guidelines. DAR on the other hand is static to thrust the land distribution since the declaration of the qualified Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs). They’re even afraid for contempt of court. While the PNP Mahayag and Firemen in Molave, ZDS were not defending the basic peasants rather the Abuton’s demolition team.

Yesterday, 10 farmers appeared to a hearing in RTC Branch 18 to defend their case regarding Indirect Contempt of Court. They don’t have lawyers but they firmly stand that they are tenants and have all the rights to till the land.

 

Back in time, farmers are the pioneers to the place. They’re the tillers of the land before Pedro Abotun came. For about 1 century these farmers struggled hard just to own this land but they realized that the government won’t listen to them. Even now that they are declared as qualified beneficiaries of Agrarian Reform Program, they’re still forced to expel from their lands.

           

Alberto Balolao, Chairman of SAMALOURMAH said, “Our only strength left is the organization we have. There’s no other way to survive, we will continue to struggle, fight and show to the public the failure of the government to defend us.”

Juanito Caramba said, is calling the government agencies to take action for these hostilities. He convened the AFUZ-KMP to help their co-farmers in Barangay Lourmah, Mahayag, ZDS.