F. Sionil Jose: Our Murdered Peasants

The murder the other week of Rene Peñas, who led the Sumilao farmers in their march from Bukidnon to Manila, and the violent eviction of the demonstrators from the premises of Congress at about the same time, evoked painful memories of peasant travail in the past. Rene Peñas was certainly not the first farm leader to die at the hands of those who oppose agrarian reform. And those demonstrators in Congress belong to a devoted lineage of farmers who tried — and failed — to redress their sorry lot. Sure, the comprehensive agrarian reform program has been extended but so much has yet to be done, particularly in the coconut and sugar lands.

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Case Unclosed: Multisectoral Fact Finding Mission for Ka Rene

Today marked the 17^th day since that gruesome night Ka Rene Peñas was brutally ambushed near his hard-fought farmland.  Today also marked the launching of the multi-sectoral mission to conduct independent investigation to provide light to the case that involved killing of a real hero, a gentle giant of agrarian reform who fought not only for his own land but stood for many other landless Filipino farmers as well.

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Sun Star: Slain militant leader laid to rest

SUMILAO, Bukidnon — Amid shouts of “Hustiya alang kang Ka Rene (Justice for Ka Rene),” hundreds of farmers from all over the Philippines laid to rest the body of farmer leader Renato “Ka Rene” Peñas here.

Vicente “Ka Vic” Fabe, chairman of the peasant coalition Pakisama, of which Ka Rene was the national vice chairman, said his killing will not cow the millions of farmers who are demanding their fair share of land in light of the extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (Carp).

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CODE-NGO: Mourning a Great Loss, Honoring a Great Man

It is with deep sorrow that we received news about the June 5, 2009 murder by unknown assailants of Renato “Ka Rene” Penas, a man who sought and practiced only peace, justice and solidarity.

In the words of his son, Noland, “Tinuruan kami ni Papa na maging patas lagi at lumaban sa mapayapang paraan. Hindi siya kahit kailan nanlamang sa kapwa. Hindi namin maintindihan kung bakit ginanon si Papa”.

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Inquirer: Nonviolent struggle ends in murder

MANILA, Philippines–After tearing down a barbed-wire fence, a group of 55 farmers broke into the 50-hectare piece of property in Sumilao town in Bukidnon that food giant San Miguel Corp. (SMC) handed over to them on March 29 last year.

Overwhelmed by emotions, their leader, Renato “Ka Rene” Peñas, jumped three times and scooped a fistful of soil. “Mao ning yuta nga atong gibarugan. Ato na gyud! (This is the land that we have been struggling for. It is finally ours!),” he cried out.

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Gang Badoy Interview: What Was Ka Rene Like?

DLSU-CoNIC: Ka Rene, Tuloy po ang Laban!

The De La Salle University-Manila Committee on National Issues and Concerns (DLSU CoNIC) condemns in the strongest terms the murder of Sumilao peasant leader Ka Rene Peňas. He was killed last June 05 at around 11pm by unidentified assailants. Ka Rene led his fellow farmers and peasant organizations in many land disputes. He was also one of the prominent peasant leaders who untiringly campaigned for the passage of Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms (CARPER) Bill. 

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