Tungkong Mangga farmers call for Mar Roxas’ to convince kin to pull-out military, armed goons

Farmer organizations in Bgy. Tungkong Mangga, San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan province call for the immediate pull-out of the military, armed goons and security guards of vice-presidential candidate Mar Roxas’ kin, Gregorio “Greggy” Araneta III, who is claiming ownership of the 311 hectares cultivated by about 300 farming families. The Sandigang Samahan ng Magsasaka (SASAMAG), Tungkong Mangga Upland Farmers’ Association, Inc. (TMUFAI) and Samahan ng Magsasaka sa Sitio Dalandanan (SAMAGDA) are now being harassed and evicted of the lands they have cultivated for decades.

“The Araneta family is again harassing the farmers in Tungkong Mangga, they are just repeating what they have done in June 18, 1999, when 20 armed men opened fire at helpless farmers, we call it the ‘Tungkong Mangga Massacre’,” said Danilo Ramos, KMP Secretary-General.

“Thus, we call the attention of Mr. Palengke Mar Roxas, if he still has the honor and delicadeza, to convince his relative Greggy Araneta to pull-out the military and his armed goons and security guards, for once serve the peasant interests,” called Ramos.

On November last year, the Araneta Properties, Inc. have evicted 16 farming families in Sitio Dalandanan of the said barangay, through filing of unlawful detainer and now they are in the process of displacing another 15 farming families.

“The Aranetas are criminalizing the agrarian dispute in Tungkong Mangga, landgrabbing is what they do best just what they did in nearby areas such as Pangarap, Caloocan. They have blocked the process of CARP coverage in 1998 and now they are attempting to displace farmers by batches,” Ramos said.

Eberto Peña, Jr., vice-chair of TMUFAI said that the military is patrolling from one house to another, doing a census and taking pictures of their households. He and his family were accused of coddling members of the New People’s Army (NPA). He also said that his house was frequently visited by suspicious people posing as vendors.

In addition, Rolando Javier, leader of SAMAGDA and respondents of the case filed by the Aranetas, said that security guards and armed goons have occupied the houses and lots of those evicted in Sitio Dalandanan. They carry high-powered firearms, sow fear and gossip in the barrio that they have only 15 days to stay at their houses. Javier also said that guards and goons continue to increase in number after they have picketed the Aranetas’ office in Makati last January 20.

KMP said that the Aranetas are eager to displace farmers as investors of the MRT 7 project are reported to back-out or hesitant in releasing investments as the site for its inter-modal station are plagued with agrarian dispute. The Aranetas are trying to project that there are no farmer-claimants at the area and is appropriate for the $3.3 billion project.

“The Aranetas are trying to diffuse the agrarian unrest in Tungkong Mangga, where the farmers’ forefathers have cultivated the lands since the 1950s,” said Ramos.

“The Aranetas totally prove their landlord character and we call on Mar Roxas to convince your very own family for the interests of the peasants. We give you the challenge to disprove your haciendero image, a landlord partner in crime of Noynoy Aquino and prove to the peasants of Tungkong Mangga that you are really for the interest of the people, or else peasants nationwide, their families and friends will know what to do this coming May 10,” called Ramos. #