Friday, November 23, 2007 Militant groups rally v. arrest of 10 farmers
THE arrest of 10 farmers in Barangay Marmol, Tuburan, Cebu last Sunday sparked complaints from militant organizations, who claimed the farmers were harassed by soldiers from the 78th Infantry Battalion (IB).
They held a protest rally in Tuburan to condemn the arrest of the farmers.
Sun.Star Cebu received a text message from one of the group members, claiming the soldiers “intervened in an agrarian dispute” and arrested even a nine-month-old baby girl.
But Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Carmelo Valmoria disputed this claim, saying the 10 were arrested using a warrant issued by Toledo City Regional Trial Court Judge Cesar Estrera.
A team from the Tuburan Police Station led by SPO3 Lino delos Santos and 1st Lt. Geomar Pipit of the 78th IB Charlie Company proceeded to Barangay Marmol, Tuburan last Sunday for the arrest.
Arrested were Arsenio Pasumala, 62, and his wife Anastacia, 57; Florencia Mojada, 54; Abelina Balibod, 37 and her husband Cesar, 41; Elizabeth Mainit, 47, and her husband Tomas, 47; Jocelyn Arias, 37; and Rosalita Arias, 60, and her husband Abello, 64.
They are 10 of 22 respondents in a qualified theft case.
Valmoria said they were implementing a court order.
The court issued the warrant last April 12, but it took them time to locate them. Valmoria said that while they are from Barangay Marmol, they were sometimes not around.
As for claims that a nine-month-old baby was arrested, Valmoria said it was the mother, Abelina, who insisted on bringing the infant.
Valmoria said the farmers are accused of harvesting the mango fruits from a piece of land without giving the proceeds to the owner.
The owner was also reportedly hesitant to go to the area because Marmol is a mountain village far from the town proper.
He said militant organizations “tricked” the farmers into believing they were the rightful owners of the land, which was why they harvested the mangoes and kept the proceeds.
Valmoria called Bayan Muna and Karapatan “communist front organizations that exploited the situation.”
He urged them, instead, to help the farmers post bail, which was placed at P42,000 each.
The 10 farmers were taken to the court last Monday and were sent to the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center last Tuesday.
Since CPDRC could only accommodate five more inmates, the rest are now detained at the Tuburan Police Station, including Abelina and her nine-month-old baby. (MEA)
