By Malu Cadelina Manar, AP, and PNA Kidapawan City – All they wanted was rice, plus free vegetable seedlings and financial subsidy in the wake of the El Niño. But after three days of protest to air their demands, all that the protesting farmers and their supporters got were bullets. The farmers claimed they were fired upon by policemen who tried to break the human barricade they formed that virtually blocked the Makilala-Kidapawan Highway. When the smoke of fire cleared, two farmers were killed while at least 33 others were injured, 20 of them policemen who were hurt when the farmers fought back with rocks and scrap metals. HIGHWAY OF BROKEN PROMISES – Rescue workers rush a victim to safety Friday after local police dispersed around 3,000 farmers from various parts of North Cotabato who staged a protest over unreleased calamity support funds previously promised them by the provincial government. [...]
