Please allow me to rant about something.
Yesterday, I managed to view the last part of The Correspondents’ report on Sumilao farmer’s undeniably futile march to the Fortress by the Pasig. Ruben Torres, Fidel Ramos’ executive secretary, was interviewed, and said the most callused statement next to that government official’s reaction to that 11-year old girl’s suicide. Here is a reaction to Torres’ stupid remark (the reaction was kind enough to quote Torres).
Damn him.
These farmers would not be marching to their deaths if not for Torres’ (and in extension, his amo, Tabako) decision to allow the conversion of 144 hectares of agricultural land (which were awarded to several Sumilao farmers by the Department of Agrarian Reform in 1995) into industrial use (at the behest of one Norberto Quisumbing – what’s with people named Norberto). Ten years later, the land is unused and is sold to San Miguel Corporation.
Clearly, a great social injustice has been committed by the Ramos administration, and Torres in particular. Until now, that injustice continues, and I hope that when these farmers get to the Fortress (if they make it past Mendiola, then I will be greatly pleased), they will get the land that is rightly theirs to begin with, if not due to Ramos’ incompetence.
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The fact that Sumilao is in Bukidnon, Miguel “Daya Na” Zubiri’s home province, is just an icing in the cake. I relish the time when Zubiri gets a mudcake in the face from the Sumilao farmers for not helping them. Heh. Anyway, the Zubiris are landed lots in Bukidnon, so their inaction is expected.
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My mom saw that episode, and she took pity with the farmers and their families. I told her that injustice will continue as long as the prevailing social order remains; as long as those who are in power look for their own welfare; as long as those who have the power to effect change remains apathetic and much concerned with their own selves and whims. The last one includes all of us.
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Gari Lazaro is posting daily updates on the Sumilao farmers’ march. Go read his blog.
Please go to Gari Lazaro’s blog and inform him about your entry. We are working on this project and are trying to spread the word. Thank you for blogging about this.
Hi, Schumey, linked his blog in this blog post.
Before you cast judgment and be carried away by emotions, please know all the facts. These farmers were already awarded the 66-hectare Salvador Carlos Estate and thus, are unqualified to get a part of the 144-hectare Quisumbing Estate. It is also not true that these are Higaonon tribesmen, as attested by Datu Nestor Holongon who is the chief of all Higaonon tribes in Sumilao. He said that only 10 are true Higaonons while the other are from places like Davao and Negros. They have never tilled that land even before 1993 as they claim so it’s not true that they were taken off their lands. The supreme court has decided that they are not qualified as they were never tenants in the first place. Peace to you.
I suppose it is you who should get the facts right.
1. SC mere affirmed the conversion application. It never said the farmers where fakes.
2. Regional DAR officials and the LGUs affirmed the authenticity of the claims and claimants.
3. Gov. Jose Zubiri is the datu and he himself said the claims are true.
4. Quisumbing should have developed the land in the time frame the SC has provided. He however sold the land to prevent the government from putting it under the CARP. The SC resolution specficall set the provisions for conversion. His failure to adhere to the provision has lapsed and therefore the land should have been reverted back to CARP.
4. SMFI even if it claims that they are buyers in good faith should have stuck to the provisions set by the courts. It is clearly staed in the provisions in the resolution. The conversion permit was not for a hog farm.
5. Quisumbing did not fight the farmers in the court, it was his buddy ex-Gov. Fortich who filed in his behalf. If you are the owner, I suppose it would be you who would file a case in court.
6. Claimants are not only 55, they are more than 134. It is true that some were already awarded land but not all. The land in question is not Carlos’s, its Quisumbings. Its an entirely different land. I call it solidarity. If in your apathetic mind, it is alright to leave your family behind because you already got your share, then what does that make you?
All these questions about the authenticity of the farmers can easily be verified. This is the reason why they challenge everyone to come and verify for themselves and prove that they are fakes. So far, no one has dared. I suppose the reason is they cannot debunk the claims of the farmers. Death of former claimants do not mean other family members are no longer entitled to claim.
I guess I have explained clearly the “questions” in you mind. Please get the facts straight. This is the reason why Quisumbing, SMFI and even Jesus Arranza would rather raise the questions in media than in the courts.
Schumey’s last blog post..Thy Will Be Done: Sumilao Update Day 18
Hi Shumey,
Are you saying that you believe Zubiri’s claim rather that the local datu who knows all of those local tribesmen? Since if we can establish that these are not higaonons, then their claim of having ancestral land collapses altogether. While SMFI might have erred in buying the place altogether with loose legal problems, are you saying that they should build a hotel and others stated in the original conversion plan when that is not even their business? The establishment of the hotel among others does not fit into the zoning scheme by Sumilao LGU. Better ask Mayor Baula herself. The national DAR did not contest when its opinion was asked about the amendment to the conversion, so you would say SMFI went through all legal and bureaucratic channels.
How can guys like Tuminhay, Merida et al. deny they were during the consultations about the proposed hog farm and even had said their piece. How come some 300 people who are in several hearings cannot understand what’s going on.
I agree that the issue would best raised in court, since it is only after GMA’s decision on the sumilao issue that the other side got their due space in papers like the inquirer. Inquirer, for a fact, kept saying these people are all higaonons when they are not. But after the Court decides on this, we should expect the farmers and their handlers to stop all this charade and just till the 66-hectare land in Sumilao. Did you say not all were given lots? It’s enough for a man’s need, not for a man’s greed.
If GMA and the courts stand firm on the decision to give back the 144-hectare to the farmers, then she should also give the 46-hectare military reservation some 10 kilometers from SMFI’s Sumilao farm and the 287 hectares of the Jesuits right across the SMFI property. Isn’t that fair enough for everybody?
Peace to you. Keep it cool.
Looks up…
Way to wag the dog right there, sir!
Who, me?
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