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Peasant groups assailed the killing of a farmer leader in the 39,000-disputed government-owned lands sprawling the towns of Coron and Busuanga in Palawan.
“Even as a wake is still being held for the farmers killed in Fort Magsaysay, another one was shot dead in Isabela.”
The KMP challenged the Duterte administration to give justice to the victims of the Fort Magsaysay carnage and hold the perpetrators accountable.
That they were able to set up their own water system after long years of deprivation reflects the Ata Manobo’s aspirations for genuine change in their community.
Antonio Pajalla used to be a trade unionist before he went underground and joined the New People’s Army. He availed of the government’s amnesty program to lead an “ordinary life.” But not quite: he is a peasant leader who was recently arrested then released.
Agrarian Reform Sec. Rafael Mariano ordered the distribution of the lands being controlled by the Cojuangco family through Tadeco.
"The resumption of the peace negotiations is in the best interest of farmers and the peasant masses.”
“The case of Pajalla is a concrete representation that the remnants of the previous regimes’ fascist counterinsurgency programs still remain in the Duterte administration."
“The peasants of Southern Tagalog call on the Duterte administration, and to Quezon Governor (David) Suarez to immediately release Antonio Pajalla.”
“We condemn the arrest of peasant leader Tony Pajalla. We demand the Quezon-PNP to surface him as soon as possible.”
“Tiempo muerto will continue to be a season of hunger and death for sugar workers every year, if the country’s fundamental land problem is not seriously addressed.”
“They are here to provide protection to those claiming the lands we till.”
“Presidential commitments, if delivered, will be a big leap for change.”
“Bungkalan (land cultivation) is their only way to survive.”
“We were happy then. We had food on the table. We were earning modestly and can send our children to school. We lived without fear and anxiety.”
"We are elated by Ka Paeng's words. He said no one would be harassing us anymore. We could now go back to our farms." --Florida Sibayan, chairperson of Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Asyenda Luisita (Ambala)
Even the 15,000 sacks of rice pledged as humanitarian aid by President Rodrigo Duterte when he was still Davao City mayor have yet to be fully distributed.
“The Cojuangco-Aquinos are far worse than drug lords, they are a feudal lord family, they victimize, not individuals, but generations of farmers, and their crime is the mother of all social cancers and injustice in the country, tyrannical monopoly control over vast tracks of land.
Known for his sharp memory, Ka Paeng admitted that he deliberately memorized the facts and figures about agrarian reform programs of all the administrations.
For Unyon ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA), Visaya deserves to be prosecuted, not promoted.
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