THE Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has initiated an investigation on the alleged arbitrary arrest of around 90 farmers, land reform advocates, media, and students in Barangay Tinang in Concepcion, Tarlac last June 9.
The farmers were conducting an activity in connection with their 'bungkalan' (cooperative planting) at Hacienda Tinang before they were arrested.
The commission claimed that there were also allegations of physical and mental abuse, inhumane conditions at the detention facility, and red tagging experienced by the group.
CHR Region III has started gathering information from the arrested farmers and their supporters; the farmers who filed a complaint; and the local Philippine National Police since June 10 2022.
CHR’s Investigation Office at the Central Office will also be joining the independent investigation given the extent and complexity of the issue.
Local police claimed that the apprehended farmers used a rotovator and destroyed the sugarcane plantation owned by other farmers belonging to Agriculture Cooperative, according to the CHR.
The commission added that when responding police officers from Police Regional Office III tried to pacify them, the police said the farmers allegedly became unruly and tried to obstruct the law enforcers from performing their official duties.
However, seven of the farmers arrested asserted that they are legitimate agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) of the land, with a Certificate of Land Ownership Award title issued in 1995 for the 200-hectare disputed land and are just waiting for their official installation as the decision was never enforced, the CHR stated.
"With the disputed nature of the said land, we urge the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to look into the matter to finally ascertain how to move forward given the pending land conflict," CHR executive director Jacqueline de Guia said.
CHR will also be reaching out to DAR [in connection with the issues raised by the farmers].
CHR committed to look into every aspect of the allegations of human rights violations linked to the said incident.
"With clashing claims, we hope our independent investigation can contribute in achieving greater clarity of the issue, a just and equitable resolution, as well as greater respect and protection of the rights of all," de Guia said.
"CHR looks forward to the cooperation of all concerned to reach this end," she added.