“The Pride movement is premised on solidarity among the marginalized and excluded. This must include farmers and the organizers who stand with them, many of whom are part of the LGBTQIA+ community. We call for the release of those illegally arrested, and to join the calls for genuine agrarian reform and protections that serve the people.”

On June 9, 2022, police personnel in Tarlac illegally and violently arrested over 90 people, including Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries and peasant advocates at Hacienda Tinang in Concepcion, Tarlac. This has been the largest mass arrest under the Duterte administration, to date.

In 1995, the farmers of Hacienda Tinang were issued Certificates of Land Ownership by the Department of Agriculture. After 27 years, the land has yet to be distributed to the beneficiaries. Today, the officers of PNP Tarlac claim that these were “illegal papers.”

Among those arrested are volunteers from various organizations who helped the farmers of Tinang during a peaceful clearing of 200 hectares of sugarcane as part of a land preparation activity. These include advocates from Malayang Kilusang Samahan ng Magsasaka ng Tinang (MAKISAMA-Tinang), artists from Sama-samang Artista para sa Kilusang Agraryo (SAKA), Pride organizers for BAHAGHARI Central Luzon, and 11 journalists.

According to reports via local news, 83 of those unjustly arrested will be charged with illegal assembly, amounting to an exorbitant P3 million for bail alone.

The Pride movement is premised on solidarity among the marginalized and excluded. This must include farmers and the organizers who stand with them, many of whom are part of the LGBTQIA+ community. We call for the release of those illegally arrested, and to join the calls for genuine agrarian reform and protections that serve the people, not the powerful.
Rural Filipinos continue to face poverty and food insecurity due to landlessness and the continued hostility of landlords, aided by the police and military. As the heavy importation of agricultural products, the government’s continued failure to distribute land to agrarian reform beneficiaries, and state-sanctioned violence threaten to leave our farmers even more hungry, we must support Filipino farmers.

SAKA and Artista ng Rebolusyong Pangkultura (ARPAK) are calling for donations to secure the bail funds of the 83 detained farmers and advocates.

Donations may be sent by contacting the organizations through the following channels: SAKA Artista ng Rebolusyong Pangkultura – ARPAK

 

Metro Manila Pride
11 June 2021

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