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.

Organizations belonging to the Reform CARP Movement (RCM), who have been actively campaigning for the passage of the CARPER law, will join the mobilization. “We are grateful the Congress extended its session this week to increase the total remaining session days to 8 rather than 6. However, we are very wary that the landlord bloc in the House of Representatives will introduce “killer amendments” that will effectively put the waste the extension of the CARP and will legitimize the evasive actions of landlord to escape agrarian reform coverage” said Rene Peñas, RCM member and spokesperson of the Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahang Magsasaka (PAKISAMA) and leader of the Sumilao farmers.

Ka Uper Aleroza, another RCM member and President of  the Pambansang Katipunan ng mga Samahan sa Kanayunan (PKSK) said that unlike in the Senate which has already entered the period of amendments, the House of Representatives, especially Speaker Prospero Nograles, has yet to show its intent to pass HB 4077 before Congress goes on a sine die adjournment on June 3. “Practically there are only 8 more session days remaining for them to pass the CARPER law. Congress is saying that they cannot rush the passage of the law because they have to put safeguards. They cannot call the passing of the CARPER bill a rush. The CARPER bill was filed as early as mid-2007 and it has been in the unfinished business of the House of Representatives since May 2008. Congress already broke two of their self-imposed deadlines – first in June 2008 and then December 2008. June 3 is their third self-imposed deadline, if Congress goes on with its turtle-pace they are bound to break this third deadline” Aleroza said.

Arsenio Villamor spokesperson of Kilusan para sa Repormang Panakahan at Katarungang Panlipunan (KATARUNGAN) and an RCM members said that the tightening of the security of the House of Representatives is very suspicious. “The policy that the House has taken of disallowing peasant groups to witness the sessions in Congress is highly suspicious. They have cited the succession of what they call “breach of security” as reason for banning farmers to witness the session. Have they forgotten the succession of “breach of promises” that Congress has committed against the farmers? Are they really concerned about security or are they keeping us, farmers, out so that they can maneuver killer amendments into the CARPER bill?” Villamor said.

 Ka Jimmy Tadeo, RCM member and PARAGOS-Pilipinas President, said that he was a victim of the policy disallowing peasants’ entry into the House of Representatives as well as other pesant leaders. “The guards told me that I will only be allowed inside the session hall if Speaker Nograles will permit my entry. It’s like Martial Law is being implemented inside Congress. We’re hoping Speaker Nograles will change his mind about this.”

Rep. Risa Hontiveros of Akbayan said that Speaker Nograles has to stand up to his word of honor and should show good will to the farmers who have been patiently waiting for the CARPER bill to be passed. “Speaker Nograles should show that he has “palabra de honor.” With 8 session days remaining, we are still stuck in the period of interpellation. In fact HB 4077 has been in the period of interpellation for almost exactly one year now despite its being declared as priority bill by the President. The presence of the farmers in the session hall does not necessarily constitute a threat to security. It is the actions, or in this case, the inaction of the House of Representatives that constitute to gravest threat to its security. If we in the House fulfill our duties and our promises to the millions of farmers who are waiting for the passage of the CARPER law, we need not worry about security” Rep. Hontiveros said.

The House of Representatives deliberated HB 4077 or the CARPER bill last Tuesday, May 19, 2009. The last deliberation of the bill before Tuesday was in June 2008. Deliberation on the bill has again been suspended since then. ###