Guards kill 2 farmers in Philippine land row

MANILA, June 4 (Reuters) Two people were killed and four wounded when a group of security guards opened fire on about 100 peasants attempting to plant corn on disputed farmland in the central Philippines, the local police chief said today.

Regidor Alvarado, police chief of La Castellana town on the central island of Negros, said security guards armed with rifles attacked about 100 farmers when they descended on the disputed sugarcane plantation and attempted to plant corn.

''Two farmers were killed on the spot,'' said Alvarado, adding four were brought to nearby hospitals for treatment.

''We've sent armed police officers to prevent further violence in the area.'' Alvarado said the 454-hectare sugarcane plantation owned by a wealthy family was the centre of unrest on the island.

In 2002, the government awarded some 122 farmers about 144 hectares of the sugarcane plantation under a land reform programme.

The landowners petitioned courts to cancel the awarding of land titles to the farmers, but the cases were defeated, forcing the government to parcel out the land early this year.

''It was only today that the farmers decided to plant corn on the awarded farmlots,'' Alvarado said, adding the government must re-survey the plantation and delineate the boundary to prevent future violence.

REUTERS AE VV1440