Demolition and land grabbing in Purok 3, Barangay Balaybay, Castillejos, Zambales evicted at least 22 peasants and their families. They assert ownership of the 21-hectare land their families have cultivated since 1934.
The farmers said they hold a Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) for the land being seized. They added that then Zambales Governor Amor Deloso awarded them the land in 1991, after Mt. Pinatubo erupted.
On February 23, a self-claimed sheriff with a team arrived in the barangay to carry out the demolition. They tore down several homes and drove the peasants away.
Buklurang Magbubukid ng Balaybay Castillejos spokesperson and president Edilberto Tomas then demanded the immediate halt of the demolition. The group appealed to the local government and its agencies to intervene so the farmers’ demands could be discussed.
“In the blink of an eye, they’ll drive us away from the land that has sustained us? The powerful are truly cruel—they can take from you what is already yours,” a barangay resident posted on Facebook.
Tomas said the sudden demolition was unacceptable. “[The team] wore no IDs, did not show a court order, had no representative from the barangay, local government… and no relocation!” he said. He asked, “Is this really what our government has become? They don’t even have compassion.”
Armed guards are now watching over the seized land and gave residents and farmers a deadline to retrieve what belongings they could from the demolished houses. The destroyed homes were posted with streamers saying “No trespassing.”
