Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 20) — The revalidated list of farmer-beneficiaries posted by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) showed that Tinang farmers are the rightful owners of the 200-hectare disputed land in Hacienda Tinang in Tarlac, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) on Monday said.
“It bolsters the rightful claim of the Tinang farmers to the plot they cultivated with supporters last June 9, cementing the utter baselessness of the charges filed against them,” the group said in a Facebook post, referring to the land in Concepcion municipality’s Barangay Tinang.
The department should formally install them at the soonest possible time, it added.
On Friday, Agrarian Reform Assistant Secretary John Laña said they will give the public a week to comment and react on the release of the initial list. If there are no violent reactions, he said they can proceed with the installation of farmers.
The tarpaulins with the list of qualified beneficiaries were put up on Monday at the barangay hall of Tinang, municipal hall of Concepcion, and at a hut inside Hacienda Tinang.
The DAR assistant secretary also said the task force agreed to issue the individual Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) to those qualified before the month ends.
Meanwhile, Malayang Kilusang Samahang Magsasaka ng Tinang (Makisama – Tinang) called for the dismissal of cases against the 83 farmers, peasant advocates, students, and journalists allegedly arrested and detained arbitrarily during the land cultivation activity on June 9.
The Tinang 83, as they are now called, were initially charged with malicious mischief and illegal assembly. They were freed on June 12 after posting bail.
