The Commission on Human Rights is already investigating the case involving the alleged arbitrary arrest and detention of around 90 farmers, land reform advocates, media, and students after the conduct of a ‘bungkalan’ (cooperative planting) at Hacienda Tinang in Concepcion, Tarlac on Thursday, 9 June 2022.

Since their detention, 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 Friday, 10 June 2022. CHR’s Investigation Office at the Central Office will also be joining the independent investigation efforts moving forward given the extent and complexity of the issue at hand.

Local police claim that the apprehended farmers used a rotovator and destroyed the sugarcane plantation owned by other farmers belonging to Agriculture Cooperative. When responding police officers from Police Regional Office III tried to pacify them, the police said that the farmers allegedly became unruly and tried to obstruct the law enforcers from performing their official duties, which lead to the arrest.

However, the farmers—particularly, the seven farmers from the around 90 people arrested—assert that they are legitimate agrarian reform beneficiaries 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.

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 will also be reaching out to DAR.

CHR commits 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. CHR looks forward to the cooperation of all concerned to reach this end. ###