Human Rights Online Philippines

OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON THE MASS DISPLACEMENT AND FILING OF CRIMINAL CASES AGAINST FARMER-MEMBERS OF SANAMABASU
February 7, 2023

The Kilusan para sa Repormang Agraryo at Katarungang Panlipunan (KATARUNGAN) strongly condemns the man-made humanitarian crisis affecting more than 70 farming families in Brgy. Sumalo, Hermosa, Bataan. These farmers organized under the Samahan ng mga Nagkakaisang Mamamayan sa Brgy. Sumalo (SANAMABASU) are literally under siege from relentless attacks on their right to land, housing, and basic freedoms through the criminalization of their land rights movements. Their situation highlights the cavalier treatment and continuing marginalization of farmers in the country. Many small farmers and producers who are reeling from the negative impact of trade liberalization and smuggling are also being driven forcibly from their land and livelihoods and are deprived of their right to live peacefully and with dignity.

The members of SANAMABASU have been tilling the land for many years before the Litton family acquired the area through a Sales Patent in 1979. The 214-hectare land was subsequently transferred to Riverforest Development Corporation (RDC) owned by the Litton family. RDC successfully applied for conversion despite the petition of farmers for land redistribution under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). Despite the Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of the RDC in 2007, the land remained eligible for acquisition and redistribution under the CARP due to the RDC’s non-compliance with the reglementary period for conversion. Hence, in 2019, the Office of the President ordered that the property be taken over and given to qualified beneficiaries. The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) later covered 155.6 hectares of the property under the CARP.

Since the farmers petitioned for land rights, the RDC has used various tactics to evict the farmers from their homes and land, including conflict-stirring among residents, hiring armed security guards, and filing of criminal and civil cases against them. The Barangay Captain, who has been leading the petition for land reform, has also been targeted with sustained administrative complaints and suspended from office, hindering his ability to serve his constituents. As of last count, farmers and their leaders already faced more than 50 criminal and civil cases. And cases against them are counting.