Vice presidentiable' s clan to displace farmers in Bulacan for MRT 7

The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP, Peasant Movement of the Philippines ) condemned the imminent ejection efforts of Gregorio Araneta, Inc. (GAInc.) to about 60 peasant families cultivating the lands of Sitio Dalandanan, Tungkong Mangga in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan. On their complaint filed on May 12, 2008 at the Third Judicial Region of Municipal Trial Court of San Jose Del Monte city against 16 farmer-members of Tungkong Mangga Dalandanan Farmers Association (TMDFA), the Gregorio Araneta, Inc. push for their ejection as they are "unlawful detainer." Then, on November 2, notices were sent that they are to leave their lands after 10 days or November 12.

"My family has been farming these lands since 1953 and now they are issuing orders for us to leave, it is very shocking and unacceptable, " said Rolando Javier, President of TMDFA.

"They did not notify us about their ejection case and all they did was they took pictures of our houses, there were no consultations made and they are surprising us with this Nov. 12-deadline notice," he added.

KMP said that the Aranetas (Gregorio Araneta clan) have arranged about 200 hectares of lands for use of the $3.3 billion MRT 7 project led by Universal LRT Corp., but the group said that they have no right to do so.

"The lands claimed by the Aranetas has been foreclosed by the Manila Banking Corporation (MBC) for their loans. However, the MBC has used these assets as loan payment to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) as their company has been beleaguered financially. At the end of the line, public funds were used for these lands and should be distributed to the legitimate farmers who developed it," said Ramos.

The group also said that the Aranetas are gutsy about cashing out the lands as they are very influential in government, being Liberal Party Vice-Presidential candidate Sen. Manuel "Mar" Roxas a part of their clan. Roxas is a grandson of business tycoon J. Amado Araneta, builder of Araneta Coliseum. GAI is now led by Greggy Araneta III coming from the Gregorio Araneta line and son-in-law of dictator Ferdinand Marcos being married to Irene Marcos.

Furthermore, the lands are under dispute between the Aranetas and the farmers who are now cultivating it. Peasant organizations San Isidro Sandigan ng Samahang Magsasaka (SASAMAG) and Tungkong Mangga Upland Farmers' Association, Inc. (TMUFAI) that maintains a membership of about 500-farming families.

"As you can see, these modern day principalias are joining together to hold on to their control over vast lands in the country. Sen. Roxas clan is mainly involved in sugarlands in Negros and Iloilo while his running mate Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III is still indecisive about the Hacienda Luisita issue," Ramos said.

"Thus, we are calling the attention of vice-presidentiable Sen. Mar Roxas to convince your relatives to cease this kind of landgrabbing. Sen. Roxas is running for a position that should banner the interests of marginalized and unprivileged sectors of society such as the peasants. This also goes to Sen. Aquino, to push for the distribution of Hacienda Luisita to the agri-workers, amidst opposition of his family," Ramos called.#