Manila, Philippines – Farmers from Bulacan demanded yesterday that Transportation and Communications Secretary Manuel “Mar” A. Roxas II stop his family from grabbing more than 300 hectares of farmland in Tungkong Mangga in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan.
“Roxas’ failure to stop the Araneta landgrabbing shows that he is no different from President Aquino, who is inutile over the Hacienda Luisita agrarian dispute,” the farmers who picketed Roxas’ office said.
The Sandigan Samahang Magsasaka (Sasamag), Tungkong Mangga Upland Farmers Association Inc. (TMUFAI), and Samahan ng mga Magsasaka sa Dalandanan (Samagda) also asked Roxas to stop the 23-kilometer Metro Rail Transit-7 (MRT-7) project of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC), arguing “the project would lead to the eviction of more than 1,000 peasant-families.” (Marvyn N. Benaning)