Last week the Sumilao farmers reached Manila after walking for 2 months from their native land of Bukidnon - a 1700 kilometer affair. Theirs have been a decade of hardships losing their ancestral land and being tossed around by powerful landlords, politicians, and the Supreme Court - yet another example of the failures of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.

They marched to the gates of Malacañang, their worn out tsinelas in tow, to deliver a letter from Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales expressing his support of the farmers and noting the legality of their claim. Not one high ranking official from the palace came down to meet them. The helpless farmers could only weep at the snobbery.

Executive Secretary was there at Malacañang but he didn’t even bother to come down and meet the farmers (Gloria was in Spain, partying with the royalty). I doubt if he’d do the same if Danding Cojuangco strolled down the palace gates. SMFI, a San Miguel subsidiary, is now building a hog farm in the disputed 144-hectare land. Then again it’s not surprising since before that day, Ermita gave an interview wherein he said, “We understand that anytime they can be seen probably in Quezon City, in the general area of the DAR. Of course, they want to dramatize their march, saying they will go to Malacañang.”

Drama. A 1700-km walk for justice is just drama. Losing their ancestral land and means of livelihood is just drama. Going hungry is just drama. Then Secretary Ermita will go off to have a most exquisite dinner, perhaps in his mansion, perhaps in some five-star hotel. God damn drama.

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, another bright mind, had this to say. “The President feels that this is a volatile situation.” He added, “Pinapasukan na ng kaliwa.”

Well, well. So the old man is concerned, but not about the farmers’ welfare. Hell, no. He probably couldn’t care less if they all died of fatigue and hunger. Why can’t he be the first to meet his maker? It would serve the country well to be rid of a secretary of “justice” who is so alien to the word.

DAR secretary Nasser Pangandaman has refrained from issuing a ruling on the case. He says the case is still being studied. In other words, they’ve waited this long, why not make them wait more! What a way to inspire confidence. For information on the legal aspects of the case, read What is the DAR secretary waiting for? by Fr. Joaquin Bernas, SJ (Philippine Daily Inquirer).

A blog has been put up to monitor their march. You can give your support by signing an online petition and donating to the cause. You can also show your support by blogging about their plight and spreading awareness thru the Internet.

I think I’d like to join the march.

This entry was posted on Monday, December 10th, 2007 at 10:02 am and is filed under news. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.