The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and its local chapter in Nasugbu, Batangas, the Ugnayan ng Mamamyan Laban sa Pangwawasak ng Kalupaan sa Hacienda Looc (UMALPAS-KA) lambasted the Macapagal-Arroyo regime for its program of bulldozing the lives of peasants for the pleasure of the rich. According to Nardo Sevilla, acting chairperson of UMALPAS-KA, “while the government is saying that we should once more tighten our belts, Gloria is using that belt to put a noose on our heads. The CALABARZON road project of Gloria is now being used to evict us from our lands with the help of the military, police, CAFGU, security guards of Manila South coast   Development Corporation and goons. We can barely eke out a living and now they are harassing us off our lands,”

“The DPWH and MSDC have started to bulldoze our lands to make way for the road, without our permission. They even have the gall to file charges against farmers who stood up for their rights. Is this the policy of the government? Is this part of the so-called 10 point program of Gloria?” asked the peasant leader.

As can be remembered Hacienda Looc has been a very controversial case when farmers stood up for their lands against the plan of the Manila South Coast Development Corporation to convert this 6,000 hectare prime agricultural land into a eco-tourism area. Now the MSDC is trying to again implement its plan but with the cover of the CALABARZON road project.

As for his part Armando Lemita, spokesperson of UMALPAS-KA castigated the blatant use of MSDC of a fake title to allow the DPWH and 310 Construction to start their operation. “The MSDC knows that the case is still pending in the court and that they don’t have a title, what they are doing is illegal and the government is condoning it, nay even using it itself,”

“They have even used tanks to scare the people to follow their bidding. As can be seen they are doing all the dirty tricks in the book to get our lands and they leave us no choice but to fight,” ended Lemita. # # #
 

KMP - 7 August 2004