The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is right to observe that the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has been dismal in carrying out land reform, farmers under the Unyon ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA). However, they urged bishops to support the free distribution of land instead of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms (Carper).

Recently, the CBCP urged President Aquino to fully implement Carper and revamp the leadership of DAR.

“It’s almost a year now since the Supreme Court decided on the distribution of land to farmer worker beneficiaries (FWBs) in Hacienda Luisita. But up to now this has not come into fruition because of the maneuvers of DAR in tandem with the Cojuangcos and Aquinos to delay and sabotage the process,” said UMA in a statement.

Recently, the DAR announced that it would come out with a final list of FWBs by this month. UMA however said that this list includes a number of non-bonafide FWBs, including those working as the Cojuangco’s stable hands and in supervisory positions in HLI.

“The DAR has ignored the demand of our organization, together with Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita and United Luisita Workers Union, to recognize only the 1989 MOA Voters List of 5,276 FWBs as its basis to pinpoint bonafide beneficiaries,” UMA stated.

According to UMA, the main culprit is the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms (Carper). “Carper’s Section 5 stipulates that landlords have the power to choose the beneficiaries and provide very rigid requirements that are also dependent on the landlords,” the group said.

Carper also stipulates that land reform beneficiaries will have to pay monthly amortization.

In a statement, Sentra, counsel for Hacienda Luisita farmers and several other farmers’ groups, also dared the Catholic bishops to re-examine their position on Carper, which  it claims is “the source of misery and destitution of farmers.”

“It is not Secretary Virgilio De los Reyes or the DAR’s leadership which is the problem but Carper. Carper comprehensively exempted vast tracts of agricultural lands from the agrarian reform program. So what will DAR distribute when the law says they have nothing more to distribute because those lands were outside the ambit of the program?” said Atty. Jobert Pahilga of Sentra.

Vast tracts of agricultural lands excluded from coverage under CARP remain excluded under Carper, said Sentra.

He added that Carper did not also do away with the Department of Justice Opinion No. 44. DOJ 44 is allegedly a “nail in the coffin of farmers,” as it provides that those agricultural lands already reclassified into other uses before the effectivity of CARP are excluded from coverage and may even be converted into residential, industrial and commercial use without the need of a DAR conversion order.

“As a matter of fact, under Carper, even those lands which were already distributed to the farmers may revert back to the hands of the landowners for various reasons such as non-payment of amortization,” said Pahilga.

Both UMA and Sentra asserted that land distribution to farmers should be for free. “Otherwise, the farmers will lose the lands again to the hands of the moneyed few,” Pahilga said.

“We fervently hope that the CBCP will support the FWBs in HLI in their struggle to finally get back their lands for free and attain social justice,” UMA meanwhile said.