The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) lambasted Public Estates Authority chair Ramon Revilla Sr., for threatening to demolish the houses of the 25 peasant families in Brgy. Cabanggaan, Silang, Cavite. The final notice to vacate was served last February 9, by the sheriff to the residents of the area; the impending demolition would start on Monday.

 According to Danilo “Ka Daning” Ramos, secretary general of the group, “what we have predicted is coming true and that Nardong Putik would not waste time and use his power to forcibly evict the farmers from the land,”

Consequently there was a raid by more than 300 PNP and SWAT, on the residents’ houses last February 5, an obvious ploy to terrorize the farmers and their families. This is also a way to gauge the preparedness of the residents for the impending demolition.

“This incident is a clear violation of human rights of farmers and is indeed related to the land dispute, considering that there is an ongoing agrarian litigation concerning the area. What Mr. Revilla, DAR and the PNP did was a grave abuse of power and is liable not only for administrative charges but criminal as well,” added the peasant leader. 

As for his part Carl Anthony Ala, public information officer of the group, “the raid was illegal because the PNP did not have a search warrant when they conducted it. The police were also directly pressuring the farmers to leave the area. Now why would they do this if they were not getting paid for it?

“Another big question is who are paying them, obviously the one who would benefit if the farmers leave the land. It would not take a genius to know who that is. Maybe the old man is just stretching his muscles to see he can still kick the already downtrodden. If anything happens to the farmers in Cabanggaan, then we know who to blame,” ended Ala. # # #
 

KMP - 12 February 2005