MANILA – Filipino human rights and peasant groups have condemned the assault on farmers during a peace rally outside the House of Representatives in the Philippine capital.
Nearly two dozen people were hurt when security guards opened fire with water cannons and pepper spray, according to Task Force Mapalad.
“Out of the farmers’ frustration with the continued landlord resistance even from within the House of Representatives, our members pushed the South gate of the Batasan complex. Shortly after, members of the House security forces suddenly blasted water on the group. Then they sprayed pepper spray on the faces of those directly in front of the gate. Photos taken showed how we were being sprayed on like insects,” said farmer Joel Pertes, an organizer of Task Force Mapalad.
Pertes said the recent violence showed how the Aquino government deal with peasants who were just demanding their rights to till their lands.
He said “Sulong CARPER” advocates filed a formal complaint with the Commission on Human Rights against the security personnel of the House of Representatives for the violent dispersal. Sulong CARPER is co-convened by Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo and Chairperson Christian Monsod.
CARPER refers to Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms under Republic Act 9700 – an act strengthening the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, extending the acquisition and distribution of all agricultural lands, instituting necessary reforms, amending for the purpose certain provisions of Republic Act No. 6657, otherwise, known as the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of 1988.
“Twenty-one members of Task Force Mapalad, PAKISAMA and PESANTE farmers’ organizations were hospitalized at the East Avenue Medical Center after the incident. They experienced varying degrees of skin rashes and itchiness, burning sensation, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, shortness of breath, and coughing,” he said.
Pertes said those who joined the rally came from Luzon, Visayas and as far as Mindanao. They were part of the group pushing for the immediate passage of House Bills 4296 and 4375 and demand for an overhaul of Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.
He said their group and various farmers’ organizations such as the PAKISAMA, KATARUNGAN, PESANTE, AR Now! Network, FOCUS on the Global South, KAISAHAN, AKBAYAN, CCCP and the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines – National Secretariat for Social Action will continue their campaign until the government acts on their demand. (Mindanao Examiner)
Like Us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindanaoexaminer
Follow Us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MindanaoExamine
Read Our News on: http://www.mindanaoexaminer.com/ and http://www.mindanaoexaminer.net/
Share The News
20
