From: International
Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines <icchrp@gmail.com>
To: philconcerns@humanrightsphilippines.net
Cc:
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2014 07:00:23 +0200
Subject: [PhilConcerns] Fwd: Aquino’s certification of CARP extension is highly hypocritical Especially as Disputed Lands in Hacienda Luisita has Been Approved by PEZA
To: philconcerns@humanrightsphilippines.net
Cc:
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2014 07:00:23 +0200
Subject: [PhilConcerns] Fwd: Aquino’s certification of CARP extension is highly hypocritical Especially as Disputed Lands in Hacienda Luisita has Been Approved by PEZA
Apologies for any
cross-posting. Thank you for understanding.
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Aquino’s certification of CARP extension is highly hypocritical
Especially as Disputed Lands in Hacienda Luisita has Been
Approved by PEZA
President Aquino’s certification as urgent the bill extending
the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) for another two years is
hypocritical as exemplified by another development in his kin’s Hacienda
Luisita.
On February 13, 2014 the board of the Philippine Export Zone Authority (PEZA) approved the application of the Cojuangco-Aquino-owned Luisita Realty Corporation (LRC) to proclaim some 258 hectares of Hacienda Luisita lands as a Special Economic Zone. By all indication, the President is likely to finalize the proclamation as soon as LRC furnishes PEZA with the required documents, such as the endorsement of the Tarlac City Council, a DAR Conversion Clearance Certificate, and a Proof of Land Ownership.
But the supposed subject lands are are the very same properties belonging to another Cojuangco-Aquino company, Tarlac Development Corporation (TADECO) which had already been issued by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) with a Notice of Coverage (NOC) in December 17, 2013.
Given the right pressure and substantial bribes, it would be easy for LRC or TADECO to get the required documents especially from the DAR, which implemented the bogus land reform in the Hacienda. Recently the DAR had even rejected the Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid’s (AMBALA) petition for a Cease and Desist Order (CDO) against TADECO which had fenced off the said lands after evicting hundreds of farmers in the area via bulldozer and arson.
DAR even acknowledged that it can act favorably on the protest made by the Cojuangco Company on the NOC order or even issue out a Conversion Order. This would pave the way for PEZA to endorse the said project to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary for subsequent endorsement to the President for the issuance of the proclamation.
Clearly, the President would issue out the proclamation during his remaining term in office. This would further make a mockery of the bogus CARP which the President wants extended and is hypocritical to say the least.
The proponents of another couple of years of CARP extension are arguing that the DAR should be given more time to issue NOCs. The experiences of Hacienda Luisita farmers and those from other parts of the vast Philippine countryside have proven that NOCs and other DAR practices under CARP are mere token processes that do not at all fulfill the requirements of genuine land reform.
In rejecting AMBALA’s petition for a CDO against TADECO, DAR categorically stated that “the issuance of an NOC does not contemplate the actual taking of property for purposes of the land acquisition and distribution under the CARP. Rather the issuance of an NOC only commences the process of acquisition of private agricultural lands under the CARP which must always be subject to corresponding statutory rights, if any of the affected landowners, i.e. right to protest coverage, right to exercise retention, or to receive just compensation, among others.”
On February 13, 2014 the board of the Philippine Export Zone Authority (PEZA) approved the application of the Cojuangco-Aquino-owned Luisita Realty Corporation (LRC) to proclaim some 258 hectares of Hacienda Luisita lands as a Special Economic Zone. By all indication, the President is likely to finalize the proclamation as soon as LRC furnishes PEZA with the required documents, such as the endorsement of the Tarlac City Council, a DAR Conversion Clearance Certificate, and a Proof of Land Ownership.
But the supposed subject lands are are the very same properties belonging to another Cojuangco-Aquino company, Tarlac Development Corporation (TADECO) which had already been issued by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) with a Notice of Coverage (NOC) in December 17, 2013.
Given the right pressure and substantial bribes, it would be easy for LRC or TADECO to get the required documents especially from the DAR, which implemented the bogus land reform in the Hacienda. Recently the DAR had even rejected the Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid’s (AMBALA) petition for a Cease and Desist Order (CDO) against TADECO which had fenced off the said lands after evicting hundreds of farmers in the area via bulldozer and arson.
DAR even acknowledged that it can act favorably on the protest made by the Cojuangco Company on the NOC order or even issue out a Conversion Order. This would pave the way for PEZA to endorse the said project to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary for subsequent endorsement to the President for the issuance of the proclamation.
Clearly, the President would issue out the proclamation during his remaining term in office. This would further make a mockery of the bogus CARP which the President wants extended and is hypocritical to say the least.
The proponents of another couple of years of CARP extension are arguing that the DAR should be given more time to issue NOCs. The experiences of Hacienda Luisita farmers and those from other parts of the vast Philippine countryside have proven that NOCs and other DAR practices under CARP are mere token processes that do not at all fulfill the requirements of genuine land reform.
In rejecting AMBALA’s petition for a CDO against TADECO, DAR categorically stated that “the issuance of an NOC does not contemplate the actual taking of property for purposes of the land acquisition and distribution under the CARP. Rather the issuance of an NOC only commences the process of acquisition of private agricultural lands under the CARP which must always be subject to corresponding statutory rights, if any of the affected landowners, i.e. right to protest coverage, right to exercise retention, or to receive just compensation, among others.”
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