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LandWatch-Philippines is an advocacy blog on access to land affecting the farmers, indigenous people, fisherfolks and forest dwellers in the Philippines.
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Recent Post
- CBCP to Monitor CARPer Implementation
- PDI Editorial: CARPER, Right or Wrong (081009)
- PAKISAMA: CARPER is better CARP
- CARPER Principal Author Snobs Signing of Law
- PGMA to Sign CARPER Bill in Bulacan
- F. Sionil Jose: Our Murdered Peasants
- Walden Bello: CARPER--Latest Episode in the Battle for Agrarian Reform
- Case Unclosed: Multisectoral Fact Finding Mission for Ka Rene
- Sun Star: Slain militant leader laid to rest
- CODE-NGO: Mourning a Great Loss, Honoring a Great Man
- Inquirer: Nonviolent struggle ends in murder
- Gang Badoy Interview: What Was Ka Rene Like?
- DLSU-CoNIC: Ka Rene, Tuloy po ang Laban!
- Ernesto Ordonez: Murdering Farmer Leaders
- CBCP News: Groups to hold mass for Ka Rene at ADDU’s chapel tomorrow
Links
Roxas Slams Violent Dispersal of Farmers in Batasan; Urge GMA Allies to Heed Public Clamor for CARP Extension
Tuesday, May 26, 2009Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas today denounced the violent dispersal of farmers holding a rally in front of the Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City on Monday afternoon and slammed Malacañang allies at the House of Representatives for their indifference to the group’s demands.
“Walang mararating ang ating bansa kung pinamumunuan ito ng isang administrasyong nabubuhay sa ilusyong walang ibang mahalagang tinig kundi ang sa sarili niya,” he fumed over reports that a team from the Bureau of Fire Protection used water canons to disperse hundreds of rallyists, including Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo, who was with the farmers.
Radyo Veritas: Interview with CBCP President Angel Lagdameo and Fr. Anton Pascual on CARPER and Water Dispersal of Farmers, Priests and Nuns at Batasan
DZRV – Radyo Veritas 846 khz
Exclusive Interview with
His Excellency Angel Lagdameo
Archbishop, Archdiocese of Jaro
President, Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines
26 May 2009 – Tuesday
Q: Archbishop Angel good morning po. Ano po ang inyong masasabi sa marahas na dispersal ng mga magsasaka kahapon sa kamara kung saan maging si Bishop Pabillo ay nadamay din sa nasabing pangyayari kahapon? Pagpapakita po ba ito na hindi na nirerespeto ng mga taga-kongreso ang ating mga Obispo?
A: Well, of course hindi lamang mga Obispo. Kahit sinu-man na ginagawan nila ng ganitong pamamaraan ay hindi nararapat. Dahilan sa mayroon namang karapatan ang lahat ng mga citizen na magsagawa ng kanilang advocacy. Ang advocacy naman nila ay para sa kabutihan ng mga maliliit lalong lalo na ang mga farmers. Kaya ang nararapat sana na ginawa nila sa halip na tubig ang kanilang isagot ay sana’y nakipag-unawaan at sana’y nakinig sa kung ano man ang sasabihin ng mga farmers kasama si Bishop Pabillo. So, I condemn such an actuation on the part of the police because they are not the ones supposed to respond the advocacy of the farmers but the congressmen.
Inquirer: CBCP president condemns farmers’ dispersal
MANILA, Philippines — The president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines assailed the police for violently dispersing pro-agrarian reform demonstrators from the Batasan Pambansa compound on Monday.
“I condemn such actuation on the part of the police because they’re not the ones who were supposed to respond to the advocacy of the farmers, but the congressmen,” Archbishop of Jaro Angel Lagdameo said Tuesday over Catholic Church-run Radio Veritas.
CBCP News: CBCP chief joins condemnation of violent dispersal
MANILA, May 26, 2009—The head of the Catholic bishops’ leadership has condemned the use of force against protesting farmers outside Batasan Pambasa in Quezon City on May 25.
The violent dispersal by anti-riot police left several protesters hurt, including Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo.
Pabillo was leading priests, nuns and hundreds of farmers in the rally calling for the extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
Farmers Condemn Violent Dispersal, Reacts to Nograles’ Statement
At this stage of our desperation for the passage of House Bill 4077, the Speaker of the House cannot blame us for our critical actions. Since 2007, when we started our campaign for HB 4077, we have been calling on Congress representatives to deliberate the CARP Extension with Reforms Bill. And what have they done? They have done NOTHING of consequence to the future of poor farmers with their continued failure to discuss HB4077 in earnest.
Inquirer Front Page Photo: Water Cannon Fury, 26 May 2009
Farmers, priests, nuns hosed down in Batasan
Monday, May 25, 2009Nagkatensyon nang bombahin ng tubig ang mga magsasaka na sumugod sa Batasan Pambansa. Kahit pinagtatabuyan ng mga otoridad, sinisigaw pa rin ng mga magsasaka ang extension ng Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program. Mula sa Batasan, nagpapatrol, Willard Cheng. TV Patrol World, Lunes, Mayo 25, 2009
ABS-CBN/Newsbreak: Bishops, Nuns hosed down in lower House
Security of the House of Representatives on Monday hosed down Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo, who was leading nuns and hundreds of farmers in a rally calling for the extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
According to estimates of the protesters, there were about 1,000 of them including farmers from Sumilao in Bukidnon province, Calatagan in Batangas, and Banasi in Camarines Sur.
“We didn’t expect this. We just wanted to listen to the plenary debates,” Pabillo said.
At 3 pm, they massed at the South Gate of the Batasan Pambansa Complex. They wanted to get inside the plenary for the deliberations on House Bill 4077, which seeks to extend and reform CARP. It’s a bill supported by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
GMANews.TV: Anti-Cha-cha, pro-CARP rallyists dispersed outside Batasan
MANILA, Philippines - A commotion ensued outside the Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City after a government team used water canons in dispersing hundreds of farmers and rallyists clamoring for the extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) and opposing moves for Charter Change.
A team from the Bureau of Fire Protection reportedly started to disperse the rallyists at about 4 p.m., Monday. The rallyists’ tents were also destroyed and Manila auxiliary bishop Broderick Pabillo, who joined the farmers, was also not spared and got wet as the dispersal team sprayed water on the rallyists.
CBCP News: Bishop denounces violent dispersal at CARP rally
MANILA, May 25, 2009—A Catholic bishop strongly condemned the “brutal use of police violence” against demonstrators lobbying for genuine agrarian reform Monday.
Around 40 police forces used water cannons and truncheons against “peaceful farmers” to disperse the protest action outside Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City.
Inquirer: Farmers met with water cannons at House gate
MANILA, Philippines – Security personnel at the House of Representatives fired water cannons at a group of farmers that was pressing for the passage of a bill extending the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) late Monday afternoon.
The protesters, which number around 1,000 according to an estimate from the Akbayan partylist, were massed at the South Gate of the Batasan Pambansa Complex in Quezon City.
Church, Workers and Farmers Troop Batasan to Press for CARPER
Various church organizations, parishes, students will join farmers organization in a march to the House of Representatives today to press for the passage of House Bill 4077 and Senate Bill 2666 that call for the extension and reform of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program. The various groups will converge at the St. Peter’s church in Commonwealth Ave. where a concelebrated mass headed by NASSA Chairperson and Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo will be held at 1pm. After the mass, a multi-sectoral march will be held from St. Peter’s church to the gates of the House of Representatives.
Bishops Meet PGMA on CARPER, Farmers Hold Sitdown Strike In Congress
Tuesday, May 19, 2009With less than 9 session days left before Congress adjournment on June 3, 5 Catholic Bishops, Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo, Bishop Bernardino Cortez, Quezon Bishop Buenaventura Famadico, Masbate Bishop Joel Baylon, and Samar Bishop Emmanuel Trance, met with President Arroyo yesterday at Malacanang to press for the enactment of the CARPER Bill at the House (House Bill 4077) and at the Senate (Senate Bill 2666). House Speaker Prospero Nograles and Senator Gringo Honasan, representing the House of Representatives and the Senate, respectively, and DAR Secretary Nasser Pangandaman, were also present during the meeting where the bishops wanted the government leaders to shed light on the status of the CARPER Bill.
CBCP Hits Congress over CARP Delay
Monday, May 18, 2009MANILA, May 18, 2009—Roman Catholic bishops are deeply disappointed with how the Congress is dealing on a bill seeking to extend the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
In a pastoral statement issued Monday, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) cried foul over some lawmaker’s disregard of the country’s farmers.
CBCP Pastoral Statement on CARP: Agrarian Reform is an instrument of social justice and an act of political wisdom.
AGRARIAN Reform is the centerpiece program of the 1987 Constitution. It pronounces in definitive terms that the law of the land upholds the protection of the rights of the poor in keeping with the principles of social justice. Despite the trails of failures in its implementation and the rising agrarian-related violations in the countryside, the farmers and the Church acknowledge that for the most part, agrarian reform has had a positive impact on poverty reduction.
Law Student Councils Joint Statement on CARPER: We Know that The Law is On Farmers’ Side
Archdiocese of Cagayan Calls for Passage of Alternative Mining Bill
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, May 18, 2009—The Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro is calling everyone to rally for the passage of the Alternative Mining Bill (AMB), now known as House Bill 6342 which was officially filed in Congress last May 13, 2009.
This, while the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of Region X (MGB-10) reported that total sales of various mineral products in the region in 2008 amounted to PhP63.04 million. The region’s total mineral production for 2008 was 628,911.50 cubic meters.