Sunday, July 08, 2007 Task force admits taking funding from DAR By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
THE Task Force Mapalad (TFM) Friday admitted getting fund from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Program.
TFM Negros President Rodito Angeles, however, explained that TFM is not the biggest beneficiary of funds from DAR, adding, "All our projects with DAR were delivered and accomplished."
He said TFM had received funding from DAR but only for projects aimed at improving the productivity of the lands already awarded to farmer-beneficiaries.
"In fact, we are asking for more funds from DAR and from other funding agencies because the support services given by the government to farmer-beneficiaries are very minimal," he said.
Angeles added that hundreds of NGOs (non-governmental organizations) are now working with DAR as partners in the implementation of grassroots projects, and they are all getting funds for these projects, which include community organizing, skills training, livelihood development, and micro-credit financing, among others.
TFM, therefore, denounced Governor Joseph Marañon's move of asking President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to seek help of the Department of Justice to probe DAR and the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) fund.
This as Marañon is already worried by the situation especially in Hacienda Velez-Malaga in La Castellana town where there's still an intense rivalry between TFM farmers and those in the management side. Hacienda Velez-Malaga is owned by sugar planter Roberto "Bob" Cuenca.
Marañon reiterated that he's not against Carp but he wants it to be reviewed first by the Congress before it will be extended beyond 2008.
The governor also wants TFM to be probed, too.
Irked by Marañon's move, TFM members accused the governor as "pro-landlord."
"If Governor Marañon keeps on biting and listening to the lies peddled by pro-landlord DAR Negros employees, he may find himself in a very awkward and shameful position later on, because there is absolutely no truth to the allegation by DAR Negros employees that the DAR national office is playing favorite with TFM," Angeles said.
Thus, the TFM said Marañon should suppose to probe series of killings in Negros rather than to call President Arroyo to probe DAR, TFM, and Carp.
TFM said," Governor Marañon should instead initiate the conduct of an investigation into why farmer-beneficiaries are being killed in Negros. Worse, not one of the perpetrators of killings has been put to justice."
TFM local organizer Gerry Cahilig said Maranon's statement was "lamentable" because it showed that he was totally biased against TFM.
Cahilig also summed up the situation: "On one hand, there are the landlords with Governor Maranon protecting them. On the other hand, there are the peasants - landless, hungry, and angry with TFM behind them. Who then is with the people? When the history of agrarian reform in Negros Occidental is written, Governor Maranon can only wish that the judgment of history would be kind to him."
