Farmers barricade hacienda

BACOLOD City , Philippines – About 200 farm workers of a hacienda in Moises Padilla town, Negros Occidental have taken turns since last Wednesday to form a “human barricade” to prevent Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) personnel from installing alleged “illegal” beneficiaries in the estate.

Farmers at Hacienda San Benito in Barangay Crossing Magallon have blocked the main entrance to the estate to prevent the Provincial Agrarian Reform Office from installing beneficiaries belonging to two other groups.

The farm workers, who belong to the Hacienda San Benito Employees and Laborers Multi-Purpose Cooperative led by Erlito Batallon, said they have a pending petition with the Office of the President for the inclusion of regular farm workers and the exclusion of holders of certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) in the hacienda.

The group is questioning the impending “expansion” of Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) coverage by about 80 hectares, and the installation of its purported beneficiaries who belong to the Agraryo Benepisaryo Reporma sang San Isidro Labrador and the Crossing Magallon Multi-Purpose Cooperative. 

Batallon said they are the rightful beneficiaries once the hacienda is divided under CARP because they have long tilled the land.

The 334-hectare estate, formerly owned by the MJ Lacson Development Co., was placed under CARP coverage more than 10 years ago.