Tungkong Mangga farmers to join march against Araneta displacement efforts

Farmers from Bgy. Tungkong Mangga, San Jose Del Monte town in Bulacan will join the nationwide “Lakbayan ng Anakpawis para sa Lupa at Katarungan” led by the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) to protest the systematic harassment and displacement efforts of Gregorio Araneta, Inc. against them. Members of the Tungkong Mangga Upland Farmers Association, Inc. (TMUFAI), San Isidro Samahang Sandigan ng Magsasaka (SASAMAG) and Samahan ng Magsasaka sa Sitio Dalandanan (SAMAGDA) will camp-out in front of the Dept. of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and picket the office of the Aranetas in Makati next week. The 200-hectare lands cultivated by the farmers are the site of the planned inter-modal station of the MRT 7 project.

“They have filed unlawful detainer against 16 farming households late last year at Sitio Dalandanan, and now they are filing against another 15. Their efforts are systematic and merciless despite farmers have been cultivating the area for 3 4 decades,” said Danilo Ramos, KMP Secretary-General in a press statement.

The Aranetas have harassed the farmers to leave their homelots, subsequently a detachment of security guards who are former military servicemen have been set-up. The guards carry high-powered firearms who are threatening the farmers at the area.

“The lands at Tungkong Mangga is not owned by the Aranetas as they have been foreclosed by Manila Banking Corp. during the Marcos’ dictatorship, who then, used it as collateral to acquire loans from the Central Bank. During the Aquino government, MBC was sequestered as it was owned by Marcos cronies and used ill-gotten wealth on its business. Generally, the lands were paid for the Aranetas by public funds, thus, should be subjected by land reform,” said Ramos.

In 1998, DAR has been preparing for the issuance of Cert. of Land Ownership Awards (CLOAs) to the farmers when the Aranetas have filed petition for exemption. Until now, it has not been processed and currently on the discretion of the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council (PARC).

The Gregorio Araneta is now represented by Gregorio “Greggy” Araneta III, the son-in-law of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos being married to Irene Marcos. They are also relatives of vice-presidential aspirant Sen. Mar Roxas of the J. Amado Araneta lineage. Moreover, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo is of the clan of Jesus Araneta Lacson de Arroyo of Negros.

“The Aranetas are very influential, thus, the pushing of the P3.3 billion project of MRT 7 led by the Universal LRT Corp. became very smooth with Malacanang. Worse, they are selling out the lands in full disregard of the farmers cultivating them,” said Ramos.

“As part of the farmers’ struggle, they would seek the support of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference this coming January 18 as they start on their camp-out and protest at the Araneta office in Makati,” said Ramos.

“Thus, we call on all sectors to continue supporting them, as people from different sectors, such as youth-students and church peoples have visited them at the area and gave them their support. Their struggle for land is not separate from the issues of other sectors,” called Ramos.#