BMFI

PDCI Supports Sumilao Farmers
16 November 2007

Though with only a limited night rest, the Sumilao farmers, together with their support groups, woke up around 3 a.m. and started to get ready for another walk. They left Ligao City at 4:05 a.m. right after their morning exercise and a cup of coffee. As practiced, they likewise offered a prayer and asked for further guidance from the Lord for their whole day walk.

They stopped for a while in Brgy. Balangibang, Polangui, Albay for their breakfast. They feasted with mongos and tinapa. Then after a few minutes of rest, they hurriedly continued walking.

From the start of the day's walk, the marchers endured the heavy rains. Their raincoats seemed of no use because those raincoats were already tattered. They were all soaked and wet, but it did not affect their endurance and courage to reach Malacañang and their ultimate goal in this struggle – the 144-hectare landholding in Sumilao, Bukidnon.

One of the marchers, Ka Oting, suffered from mild cramps. Because of the situation, the group decided to rest for a while.

Because of heavy rains, the advance party asked the LGU of Nubao if they could provide a space for the marchers as they intend to have early lunch. Without any second thought, said LGU agreed. When the marchers reached Nubao, they were warmly welcomed by the locals. The marchers felt moved with the hospitality and friendly gestures from the people in Nubao. Some even got acquainted with the marchers.

At Portico, Camarines Sur, a group of farmers from Pecuaria Development Coop., Inc. (PDCI) met, joined and accompanied the marchers going to Lanipga, Bula, Camarines Sur.

Like the Sumilao farmers, PDCI is a farmer organization with 426 members who were once farmer beneficiaries of 817-hectare landholding in Lanipga, Bula, Camarines Sur. Their Certificate of Land Ownership Awards were distributed way back in 1993 and each beneficiary is now personally tilling and developing their respective 1.7 hectares. Although they were successful, 37 of their members encountered problems because some of the lands are already in the hands of a private person.

The members of PDCI expressed solidarity with the Sumilao farmers that they too will someday also own and possess the 144-hectare land in Sumilao, Bukidnon.

They finally arrived in the venue after walking for approximately 42 kilometers. PDCI prepared a short program where representatives from PAKISAMA, PDCI, DAR and DA gave their touching messages of solidarity. In response and in behalf of the Sumilao farmers, Ka Rene Peñas delivered a speech delving on the history of their struggle, concluding his discourse with gratefulness for the support extended.

We should not lose sight of the fact that the petitioners are the former holders of a Certificate of Land Ownership Award No. TCT/CLOA No. 00240227 issued to 137 MAPALAD farmer-beneficiaries in 1995, long before the proceedings before the Supreme Court in the Fortich case. The TCT/CLOA was even registered before the Register of Deeds in the same year.

In fact, by virtue of the "Win-Win Resolution" issued by the Office of the President through Executive Secretary Corona, the farmers were again identified as the qualified farmer-beneficiaries for the 100-hectare portion of the subject land. Applications to Purchase and Farmers' Undertaking (APFUs) were duly executed by the farmers recognizing their existing right to ownership of the land.

The mere fact that the farmers were identified twice as beneficiaries under a valid and existing law, the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (RA 6657) undoubtedly confirms their right to the subject property. Their TCT/CLOA was cancelled precisely as a result of the issuance of the conversion order, which this present petition seeks to cancel. It does not take any legal reasoning to conclude that these petitioners stand to benefit from the resolution of this petition. They have every right to be the beneficiaries of the subject land's CARP coverage under Section 22 of RA 6657.

Based on the foregoing, it is the petitioners who now have the highest interest to petition for the cancellation of the approved conversion order for non-compliance and violations thereof, especially that it is they who have been previously stripped off of their ownership of the 144-hectare land. Herein petitioners were the ones who were most injured by the Supreme Court decision in Fortich as they were removed from the land already granted to them by the government. Petitioners undoubtedly have a legal standing to the instant petition as the success thereof necessarily means the CARP coverage of the subject properties and the consequent distribution thereof in their names.