Thursday, July 05, 2007 Justice dep’t to probe Agrarian Reform office By Ma. Ester L. Espina
AGRARIAN Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman may just have more than what he can handle after he is now being targeted as the subject of an investigation being sought by Governor Joseph Maranon before the Office of the President and the Department of Justice.
The governor who received a copy of the position paper filed by the United Maros Association of Negros Occidental (Umano) and the Department of Agrarian Reform Rank and File Employees Union (Darfeu) cited the allegations made against DAR and Pangandaman as very alarming and I will personally call on the Justice Department to initiate immediate investigation on this.
Umano and Darfeu have accused Pangandaman and Undersecretary Narciso Nieto of outrageous management and abuse of authority and kowtowing to the militant peasant organization, Task Force Mapalad.
In their position paper addressed to various government agencies including the President and bothHouses of Congress, the Maros and the employees accused Pangandaman and other officials of DAR for using agency resources to fund TF Mapalad activities including support services.
Maranon said favoring a particular organization over others show Pangandaman’s partiality at the prejudice of their employees and operations.
The governor said Pangandaman is not anymore worthy of his position if he is bias to a certain group.
This, I suspect is the reason why he (Pangandaman) refuses to coordinate with local government units because he is already bias to the TF Mapalad, Maranon said.
In their position paper, DAR employees alleged that the Central Office has acceded to the numerous request of TF Mapalad for consultation which requires fund allotment amounting to millions of pesos instead of prioritizing the benefits due to DAR employees.
They also alleged that the DAR Central Office has downloaded financial assistance to families of the late TF Mapalad members and extended support services to them using DAR funds.
This, said the governor, is cause for alarm and all the more that government should re-examine all funding being used by DAR and I reiterate anew my request for the agency’s audit.
The position paper stemmed from the employees protest against the removal of Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer Stephen Leonidas based on the special order issued by Pangandaman.
Leonidas transfer came at the heels of his order to TF Mapalad farmer beneficiaries to refrain from cultivating a portion of the land awarded to them at Hacienda Velez-Malaga in La Castellana to avert more violence, following the stone-throwing incident a couple weeks ago when DAR conducted the segregation survey.
The employees further accused Pangandaman and Nieto as well as other officials at the central office for relying so much on the pronouncements of TF Mapalad members over the decision of the Paro and Maros of Negros Occidental which results to a mockery on the dignity and credibility of the local agrarian agencies.
In fact, we are of the belief and convinced that the reassignment of Leonidas is more of the decision of TF Mapalad and only implemented by Pangandaman, not because Leonidas is not capable and reliable as Paro, but because he would not give in to the demands of TF Mapalad at the expense of lives, the statement said.
At the turnover of the provincial agrarian office Wednesday to newly-installed Paro Teresita Depenoso, employees of DAR wore black and red in clear protest of Pangandamans order.
Leonidas was not present at the turnover as he was admitted at the Riverside Medical Center for dengue fever.
