Sunday, July 09, 2006
City exec optimistic agri problem would be resolved
By Maricar Aranas
NEGROS Oriental legal counsel Erwin Vergara is optimistic the seminar-workshop of the Agrarian Justice Foundation, Inc. on July 9 to 12 in Silliman University would resolve the confusion on the implementation of the comprehensive agrarian reform program (Carp).
Expected to attend the seminar that opens Sunday are judges, prosecutors, lawyers, law enforcers, field officers of the Department of Land Reform (DLR), and non-government organization leaders.
Focused on agrarian justice, the gathering seeks to resolve conflicting issues particularly on the genuine beneficiaries of Carp-covered lands.
DLR has identified seven areas in Negros Oriental that it considered critical areas in the implementation of the land reform program and which conflicts have been elevated in the courts.
They are Bayawan City, Guihulngan, Mabinay, Siaton, Pamplona, Bais City, Tanjay City, and Canlaon City.
Vergara said many farmers have come to his office for legal opinion and that he, himself, was confused where to refer the complaints because of the absence of a specific group to handle them.
He noted that Carp cases are difficult to resolve especially if politicians enter the picture or if the land subjected to agrarian reform belongs to a politician.
Vergara said based on the experiences of CARP beneficiaries, police, and municipal agrarian reform officers find it hard to implement the law especially if the politician is influential.
Of Negros Oriental's three districts, district 1 and district 2 have the most number of agrarian cases.
Vergara hoped the seminar workshop would show "good results."
(July 9, 2006 issue)
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