Tuayon: 303 IB officials are ‘sucking up’ to the ruling elite

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW) criticized the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) after the latter claimed some communal farms in Negros are reportedly being operated by communist rebels.

In a statement released by NFSW Secretary-General Christian Tuayon, he condemned the statements made by Philippine Army 303rd Infantry Brigade (303 IB) commander, Brigadier General Eliezer Losañes, and spokesperson, Captain Ruel Llanes, characterizing the comments as “declaring farm workers in the region as targets of their counter-insurgency campaign.”

Tuayon denied the statements by the two high-ranking military officials, calling the allegations “laughable” if not for the deadly implications they hold.

“This is yet another attempt by the AFP to suck up to the ruling elite by vilifying the masses and their legitimate struggle for land and food,” he said.

The NFSW official explained, in order to ward off the inevitable hunger brought about by the yearly “Tiempo Muerto,” or “Dead Season,” farmers launched a campaign to establish “Land Cultivation Areas” on properties covered by agrarian reform, but remain undistributed. On the idle lands, farmers plant vegetables, banana, corn, and root crops to feed their families.

Tuayon also said Losañes’ appeal for owners of these “land-grabbed farms” to come out and file charges “against the rebels” is not only intended to undermine Negros’ rural masses, it is meant to ingratiate himself, “in true mercenary fashion,” with the landlord class.

Tuayon added, they are extremely concerned over the 303 IB’s “red baiting,” stressing it signals “open season” on mass activists and an impending spike on human rights abuses./DGB, WDJ