A network to “keep watch” over the continuing agrarian unrest in Hacienda Luisita was formed amid efforts by the Cojuangco-Aquinos to remain in control of the estate through land grabbing led by the Tarlac Development Corporation (Tadeco).

Luisita Watch, a network of individuals and organizations “advocating the cause of Hacienda Luisita farmers” was launched last February 21 at the University of the Philippines-Diliman. Showing up in support of the network were award-winning independent actors Angeli Bayani and Karl Medina, students, members of the academe, and other advocates.

Farmers ‘swindled’

Christopher Garcia, spokesperson of Ambala (Alyansa ng Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita) thanked supporters for exposing incidents of land grabbing and violence, such as burning of huts, bulldozing of crops, mauling and arrest of farmers.

“Napakahalaga ng inyong suporta, dahil ang isyu ng mga magsasaka at aming pag-unlad ay isyu nating lahat,” he said. (Your support is crucial, because the issues that we farmers face is an issue of the whole nation.)

Luisita farmers say that they have been “swindled” out of the Supreme Court and Department of Agrarian Reform’s (DAR) decision to reduce to coverage of land distribution in Luisita from 6,453 hectares to merely 4,099 hectares.

And while the DAR has declared that land distribution in Luisita is over, farmers say that Tadeco is continuing to chase them off their lands by bulldozing their crops and fencing off more than 400 hectares.

Meanwhile, other farmers, under pressure, are leasing their lands to sugarcane growers connected to the Cojuangco-Aquino family.

Aside from facing land grabbing threats by Tadeco, farmers are also questioning the P471.5 million paid by the government to the Cojuangco-Aquinos last year as “just compensation” under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program. They say that “there is nothing just” about using taxpayers’ money to pay landlords for land that was taken from them.

Call to citizens: report developments

In support of the farmers, UP Prof. Danilo Arao said that the dominant mass media has been amiss in its duty to report the alarming developments in Hacienda Luisita, which farmers warn could lead to violence akin to the 2004 massacre.

“The media rarely reports about what happens in the countryside. They do not give enough prominence to what happens to our farmers. Sadly, they only pay attention when someone dies,” he said.

According to Arao, concerned citizens must make use of the social media to “ensure the virality of the issue.” “The mass media cannot accurately mirror social reality, so we must do what we can to shape public opinion,” he added.

Arao further encouraged citizens to oppose the Cybercrime Prevention Act and its provision on online libel, saying that it imperils the freedom of Luisita farmers and their advocates to report on developments through the social media.

Angie Ipong, secretary general of the human rights group SELDA, meanwhile reminded the public that this year is the 10th anniversary of the Hacienda Luisita massacre, wherein seven farmers were killed and scores were injured. “Not one perpetrator has been brought to justice,” she said.

Former representative Liza Maza also said that the development planned by Tadeco in Hacienda Luisita is in line with President Aquino’s economic policies dictated upon by foreign business chambers, which are pushing for Charter Change.

“The push to amend the economic provisions in the  1987 Constitution is reflected in what is happening in Hacienda Luisita. Farmers are being driven away in lands the government wants to reserve for big foreign investors. We must thus also oppose Cha-Cha being railroaded in Congress today,” Maza said.

More than a hundred students and other supporters from the church, academe, and artists community attended the launch, which culminated in a signing of a “For Land and Justice” tarpaulin.

Luisita Watch has set up accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to ensure that incidents of land grabbing and harassment of farmers do not go unnoticed.