155 farmers detained in gov't office siege (Philippines)

[struggle4progress]

By DJ Yap
Inquirer News Service

Editor's Note: Published on page A22 of the June 10, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

ONE HUNDRED fifty-five farmers were rounded up Wednesday night after they barged into the office of Land Reform Secretary Rene Villa in Quezon City and locked themselves in the room for four hours.

The protesters had hoped for a dialogue with Villa; they forced their way inside when they were told that Villa could not meet them. <snip>

Enrico Cabanit, secretary-general of the Pambansang Ugnayan ng mga Nagsasariling Lokal na Organisasyon sa Kanayunan (Unork) alleged that Villa was reluctant to talk to them about the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.

The farmers outnumbered the department's 20 on-duty security guards who were not able to prevent them from entering the compound, and later, Villa's office on the fourth floor, said Ernesto Regacho, officer-in-charge of the DLR's intelligence and civil security office. <snip>

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