AN official of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has confirmed the removal of 125 “defiant” farmers from the list of those who will be given a part of Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac.
Agrarian Reform Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Anthony Parungao said the decision is “final and executory.”
The decision to remove the 125 farmers from the list of beneficiaries was caused by their refusal to sign the application to purchase and farmers’ undertaking (Apfu).
Despite repeated appeal by the DAR Tarlac field personnel, it was learned that the farmers kept their word not to sign the document, insisting that Hacienda Luisita, formerly owned by the Cojuangco-Aquino family, is theirs already and as such there is no need for them to pay for any amortization.
The DAR has already distributed and installed almost all of the farmers who have submitted all necessary documents in their assigned farmlots. Each beneficiary was allocated approximately 6,000 square meters.
The farmers were given 30 years to pay for the land.
In earlier interviews, Agrarian Reform Secretary Virgilio R. de los Reyes said the farmers who will not sign the Apfu will lose the opportunity of owning a piece of the 4,009-hectare agrarian reform-covered portion of the former Cojuangco-Aquino sugar estate in Tarlac.
A total of 6,212 farmers were identified as qualified beneficiaries for the hacienda, which was one of the biggest landholdings ever to be distributed by the agency in its more than 25 years of existence.
The farm lots supposedly for those who were disqualified will be awarded to farmers who are qualified and willing to abide by the requirement to be Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program beneficiaries, de los Reyes said.
The lawyer of Hacienda Luisita farmers recently filed a motion before the DAR questioning the delisting of the 125 farmers, who are mostly leaders and members of the Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita.
In a letter to the DAR, Jobert Pahilga of the Sentro para sa Tunay na Repormang Agraryo pointed out that the disqualification of the 125 farmers was unwarranted because “the said order has no factual and legal basis and was issued in violation of the rights of the said farmers to due process of law.
The disqualification notices were sent out by the DAR to 125 beneficiaries on August 26.