Hacienda Luisita

‪#‎BREAKING‬ ‪#‎HACIENDALUISITA‬

PHOTO: Rey Flores, 16, (in black) escorted by Tarlac City Councilor Emy Ladera-Facunla (in white) as he steps out of the agricultural areas unlawfully fenced by Cojuangco firm TADECO. The disputed area is guarded for President Aquino's family by thugs of the Great Star Security Agency, the AFP 3rd Mech Battalion and the Tarlac PNP (in photo).

Rey was trying to video Cojuangco thugs destroy his family's farmhut and crops in Bgy Balete yesterday, BS Aquino's birthday. His family has has been literally holed up in their small farmlot and hut since TADECO ordered the fencing of the 260-hectare property with concrete & barbed wires. Despite continued threats from Cojuangco guards, the family continued to tend to their ricefield.

This disputed area is part of AMBALA's thriving bungkalan project initiated in 2005. Last December, the DAR issued a notice of land reform coverage for this area. The same day, TADECO started bulldozing ricefields. Five farmers were mauled and arrested.

Yesterday, Rey and his family were held at gunpoint, threatened by Cojuangco thugs. Rey was nabbed by the guards for turn-over to the local police. A community precinct is located inside Balete. Even the HQ of the 3rd Mech AFP Battalion was recently constructed inside this disputed area. Cojuangco bulldozers are parked next to the army HQ.

Rey was released to the custody of DSWD representatives and Tarlac City Coun. Emy Ladera-Facunla, sister of Luisita martyr Councilor Abel Ladera (victim of EJK in 2005.)

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Hacienda Luisita under reign of terror and impunity
On BS Aquino's 54th, wanton disregard for rule of law by BS Aquino's family

Violations by Cojuangco hired thugs, February 8, BS Aquino's birthday:

1. Demolition of farmhuts and destruction of crops owned by farmers Ricky Flores, Rudy Pineda and Florida Sibayan, AMBALA Chairperson.

Sibayan and 20+ other farmers from Bgy, Balete are respondents to an unlawful detainer or ejectment case filed by TADECO last year. The case was recently dismissed (January 24, 2014.) The violent demolition was undertaken by Cojuangco thugs without any court order.

The area in question is part of a notice of land reform coverage issued by the Dept, of Agrarian Reform last December 17. TADECO commenced bulldozing activities around the same time. Five farmers were mauled and arrested during violent bulldozing sortie led by highest Tarlac PNP officials Prov'l Dir. Alex Sintin & Tarlac City Chief Bayani Razalan.

2. Harassment, Coercion, Threat. Farmers were held at gunpoint by Cojuangco thugs as they demolished the farmhuts.

3. Violence against Children, illegal Arrest and Detention. Farmer Ricky Flores' son, Rey, aged 16, tried to capture the destruction of their hut and crops on his cellphone camera. The guards pointed their shotguns at him and hauled him to the local police precinct. Rey Flores was subsequently released to the custody of DSWD representatives and Tarlac City Councilor Emy Ladera-Facunla, herself now facing fabricated charges of trespassing and coercion filed by TADECO, for helping farmers assert thier rights. Facunla is the sister of Councilor Abel Ladera, a victim of extra-judicial killing in 2005.

4. Arson. Huts of farmers Romy Castro and Edgar Aganon were set on fire by Cojuangco thugs, night of February 8.

DESTRUCTION OF CROPS CONTINUE TODAY. ASIDE FROM COJUANGCO THUGS, THE AREA IS HEAVILY GUARDED BY A COMPANY OF SOLDIERS BELONGING TO THE 3RD MECHANIZED BATTALION OF THE AFP, WITH HEADQUARTERS SMACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS DISPUTED AREA. COJUANGCO BULLDOZERS ARE PARKED NEXT TO THE ARMY HQ.

Again:

The area in question is NOT COJUANGCO-AQUINO PRIVATE PROPERTY. It should have been covered earlier by the 2012 SC decision to distribute Hacienda Luisita to farmworkers. It is now covered by a notice of land reform coverage issued by the DAR, December 17, 2013.

Unlawful detainer or ejectment charge against Florida Sibayan, et al, has been DISMISSED by MTC Judge de Jesus, January 24, 2014.

Farmworkers alliance AMBALA filed a cease and desist petition vs TADECO before the DAR, December 26, 2013. DAR has yet to act on this urgent petition!

AMBALA members and individual victims of threat, harassment, destruction of crops and property, illegal arrest and detention, robbery etc filed criminal cases vs TADECO guards, PNP before the Department of Justice (DOJ), January 16, 2014. NO updates yet from the DOJ!

A motion to cite DAR and TADECO in contempt of the 2012 SC decision was filed by AMBALA before the Supreme Court, January 16. Nothing yet from the SC!

Meanwhile, Malacanang, the DAR, DOJ, SC, CHR, DILG and all other concerned government agencies are ALL MUM about this issue. PNoy kabarilan Virgie Torres and other landgrab vultures continue to facilitate "aryendo" deals with duped beneficiaries. There is not enough media coverage compared to the "hypercoverage" of other controversial but trivial issues. Are we all waiting for another Hacienda Luisita massacre before we open our eyes?