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Friday, February 21, 2003
400 banana workers want end to Lapanday accord
By Ana F. Dulay
A PICKET of at least 400 members of the Mampising Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (Carp) Beneficiaries Cooperative Inc. (MCBCI) greeted Thursday Agrarian Secretary Roberto "Obet" Pagdanganan.
The picket was conducted by the Carp beneficiaries at the DAR compound in Ecoland, Davao City.
Pagdanganan, who was in town for a speaking engagement with the Philippine Institute of Chemical Engineers (PICE), was met by Carp beneficiaries protesting the contract they have signed 11 years ago with Lapanday Agricultural and Development Corporation, involving 757 hectares of land in Sitio Mampising, Barangay Tagnanan, Mabini, Compostela Valley.
MCBCI board of director Bonifacio Responso claimed that they were forced by the DAR to go into an agreement to lease the land awarded to them with Lapanday "tinakot kami, pinuwersa kami at niloko kami sa memorandum of agreement (We were coerced into signing an agreement with Lapanday)."
He said the cooperative was not represented by a legal counsel. "Sila
(Lapanday and DAR officials) ang naghimo sa agreement, sila pud ang nag-sign. (They crafted and signed agreement themselves)," Responso alleged.
He said the 252 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) want their land back now because "gusto namin kami mismo ang magbungkal ng lupa para umangat ang aming kabuhayan."
Tension erupted four days ago when a battalion of Regional Mobile Group of the Philippine National Police (PRMG) dispersed MCBCI members who blockaded the Lapanday packing plant in Sitio Mampising.
According to Efren Cagumbay, another MCBCI director, the picket, which started eight days ago, was to "kontrol ang mosolud sa kompaniya og produkto nga mogawas ( control management coming in and products going
out)."
He said hundreds were hurt during the dispersal which was just a peaceful picket.
Cagumbay said the present agreement of "lease rental-lease back" is a violation of the Carp law since the beneficiaries are not the tillers of land. He said "posible nga ang ARBs mawad-an og yuta kay wala sila
mismo nagtikad sa yuta (it is possible for ARBs to loose the lands awarded to them since they are not the actual tillers)."
The Carp beneficiaries prefer to be banana growers and want to rescind their present contract with Lapanday. Cagumbay said "mas gusto namo
i-growership ang MCBCI kay halos dili mi makakaon karon."
Cagumbay said "gusto namo ipaabot kang Secretary Pagdanganan nga unta
tagaan unta niya og hustisya mga ARBs sa MCBCI (we wish Pagdanganan can
give us justice)." He said no other agency but DAR can help them.
Pagdanganan met with DAR employees and MCBCI for a consultation on the
issues involving Carp beneficiaries and land owners.
(February 21, 2003 issue)
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