More than a thousand agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) from Nasugbu, Batangas have asked the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to revoke its consolidated order and compromise agreement ceding some 1,300 hectares of farmland to Hacienda Roxas and removing them from the property.
“Since time immemorial, these farmers have been cultivating their land. It goes against the basic precepts of justice, fairness, and equity to deprive them, through no fault of their own, of the land they till,” the farmers told the DAR in a signed petition.
In the petition, the farmers, with the assistance of Sentro Para sa Tunay na Repormang Agraryo (Sentra), said both the consolidated order and the compromise agreement violate Republic Act 6657 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL) as amended by Republic Act 9700 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reform or CARPER.
“These laws mandate the acquisition and distribution of agricultural lands to the landless tiller. CARL is a social justice legislation and as such, whether agricultural land is covered in its provision, is not subject to compromise,” the farmers said.
The farmers also said the Katipunan ng mga Magbubukid sa Hacienda Roxas Inc. (KAMAHARI) and the Damayan ng Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Roxas-National Federation of Sugar Workers (DAMBA-NFSW) that negotiated the compromise agreement for them, “have no authority to decide for and on [their] behalf.”
“The compromise agreement, even when it was approved by the DAR, is null and void. It is not valid and binding to [the ARBs],” the petitioners said.
On 29 December 2023, the DAR issued a Consolidated Order splitting in half the 2,938 hectares of land registered under Roxas and Company Inc (RCI). The parcels of land all located in Nasugbu, Batangas were placed under CARP.
Certificates of Land Ownership Awards (CLOAs) were subsequently issued to the ARBs to which the RCI protested and sought their conversion into other uses. The KAMAHARI and DAMBA-NFSW agreed to withdraw all CLOAs and accepted the compromise agreement that the RCI proposed.
“The agreement paved the way for the issuance of the said Consolidated Order which allowed RCI to illegally retain the 1,322.22855 hectares of land already covered by CARO and distributed to the ARBs,” the petitioning farmers said.
A portion of the DAR Consolidated Order stipulates: “The ARBs are hereby ORDERED to vacate the areas outside the ½ portion awarded to them and are enjoined to peacefully turn over physical possession of the same to RCI, the latter is also ORDERED to vacate the ½ portion given to ARBs, failing which or failure by either of them showing resistance or refusal despite the foregoing disposition, the PARPO II is authorized to enlist the assistance of police or any law enforcer including the military to maintain peace and enforce this Order.”
The farmers said the DAR failed to consider the impact of its consolidated order on the nine barangays of the hacienda and the community as a whole.
“Had it conducted validation and verification and not relied on the RCI, KAMAHARI or DAMBA-NFSW representations, it would have discovered the adverse effects of its order to the people and the community,” the farmers said.
“Thus, it is imperative for the DAR to revoke the compromise agreement, recall and revoke the Consolidated Order, and proceed with the acquisition proceedings of lands under CARP,” the farmers in the petition said.
