Wednesday, March 07, 2007 Farmers show force over Hacienda Velez-Malaga row By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan, Antonieta B. Lopez, Nicolas C. Delfin
Whose gonna win and whose gonna lose?
This is now the question on the much-awaited installation of 122 farmer-beneficiaries belonging to Task Force Mapalad (TFM) in Hacienda Velez-Malaga, Barangay Robles, La Castellana Thursday morning.
Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman is reportedly spearheading the installation with security assistance from the police.
Negros Occidental Police Provincial Director Rosendo Franco said he has already prepared 70 of his men from both the provincial headquarters and the Provincial Group to man the security all over the contested hacienda during the installation.
"But I would like to clarify that my policemen would not intervene on the installation but will only follow order from DAR," Franco said.
Asked for comment, Western Visayas Police Director Wilfredo Dulay said, "I just told my men to follow the Department of Agrarian Reform's order and nothing more. The PNP will only be a support group on this installation."
Prayer-rally
Farmer-members of the Hacienda Malaga-Cuenca Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MCMPC) and Malaga Independent Workers' Union (MIWU) will hold a prayer-rally on the same day.
They will be augmented by thousands of other hacienda farmers from other farms in Negros Occidental.
Romulo Espinosa, spokesman and organizer for both MCMPC and MIWU, said they won't block the installation but will "instead say prayers to enlighten DAR people not to pursue the installation until the appeal at the Supreme Court is resolved."
They also asked the three bishops and priests in Negros island to pray for their cause as real beneficiaries of the Cuenca land.
Espinosa said of the 122 farmers to be installed by DAR and TF Mapalad on Thursday, 50 to 60 percent are not the original tillers in the hacienda.
"We hate war. Instead we want peace. So we will pray for enlightenment of DAR people to wait for the proper order and install the rightful beneficiaries so peace and love will reign instead of a possible bloodbath," he stressed.
Tension
On the other hand, tension continues to rise at the 10-hectare property now owned by TF Mapalad as well as at the 144-hectare lot area occupied by farmers from the management side, which TF Mapalad is claiming on Thursday, a report from La Castellana Police said Tuesday.
Senior Inspector Placido Composa, chief of La Castellana Police, however, said they're still on top of the situation.
La Castellana Mayor Enrico Elumba, on the other hand hoped for a peaceful installation.
Negros Occidental Governor Joseph Marañon is also hoping for the same but asked DAR to only install the rightful beneficiaries to avoid conflict.
Losing homes
Meanwhile, close to 200 households or 1,000 individuals are in danger of losing their homes in the event the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) pushes through on Thursday with the installation of 122 farmers affiliated with the militant Task Force Mapalad.
Espinosa said about 190 to 200 members of the union may lose their homes once the Task Force farmers take possession of the property.
The 144-hectare portion of the hacienda, which is subject to a pending case before the Supreme Court, includes the houses of the union members, a multi-purpose center, a day care center, elementary school, a chapel and the offices of the union and the Hacienda Malaga-Cuenca Multi-purpose Cooperative, he stressed.
They are also apprehensive that changes in the status quo will affect their scholarship program, which sends 150 students through elementary, high school and college. It will also have an impact on the production sharing scheme they are currently implementing in the hacienda, he said.
Espinosa, along with the officers of the cooperative and union, yesterday called for a press conference in Bacolod City in an attempt to attract the attention of the DAR.
Appeal for postponement
The group is appealing for the department to postpone the installation of the TF Mapalad farmers, claiming that such move is illegal because of legal impediments.
While they are not legal experts, Espinosa said, they believe that the installation cannot push through until the case pending before the High Court is resolved.
The Certificate of Land Ownership Award issued by DAR to the TFM farmers in 2002 was cancelled by the Regional Trial Court in La Carlota in 2003 and has not been reinstated yet, he said. This also includes the CLOA issued to the union members but they were allowed to occupy the area after status quo prevailed in the area, Espinosa said.
"The TFM has launched a propaganda demanding justice to their farmers, but what about justice for us?" he added.
Fact-finding committee
On the other hand, Governor Marañon will form a fact-finding committee to look into the situation as soon as the Hacienda Malaga Cuenca Independent Workers Union file a formal request to his office.
"The Union wanted us to look into the merits and demerits of the CLOAs given by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to the farmer beneficiaries affiliated to the Task Force Mapalad," Marañon said.
Earlier, Marañon said if there are grounds to stop the installation of the farmers he would not hesitate to intervene, adding that "if there are violations, those involved should be held liable."
He clarified though that he is not pushing that Carp be abolished but for DAR to strengthen their position with regards to land distribution and for the agency to review and evaluate the program.
"The DAR keeps on distributing land but failed in supporting farmers in a way that they seem to compound the problem without solving it first," Marañon said.
