|
Friday, December 19, 2008
Speaker: I fought for Carp law
DAVAO -- House Speaker Prospero Nograles said he tried his best to save the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (Carp) from expiring but was overpowered by the majority who opted for a new six-month program.
Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo
"I have fought long and hard to extend the life of the Carp law in its current form, but even as Speaker, I have only one vote. My leadership is nurtured by the democratic consensus-building process," he said.
The House voted 111-34-1 in favor of joint resolution 19, which Representative Edcel Lagman (Lakas, Albay) called an "emasculated" version of the Carp.
For this reason, the progressive bloc composed of Representatives Rafael Mariano of Anakpawis, Satur Ocampo and Teddy Casiño of Bayan Muna and Liza Maza and Luz Ilagan of Gabriela walked out of the plenary deliberations.
"We have decided not to be a party to the landlord-dominated House of Representatives' pretension and deception of the Filipino peasantry and the people in extending the bogus Carp," they said in a statement.
"The 'sham' measure further strengthens the landlords' monopoly and control over vast tracts of agricultural lands in the country and will surely lead to the massive eviction of peasants and land-grabbing in the countryside," they added.
On Thursday, the farmers and bishops ended their hunger strike after Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales assured them that he would convince legislators to support their cause.
The Catholic bishops' staff then distributed bowls of porridge and mineral water bottles to the strikers, some of whom have not eaten for as long as 18 days.
Speaker Nograles said he had made public his stand in favor of the provision on compulsory land acquisition since the start of the plenary debates and during all-party caucuses they held.
"But leadership also demands that we listen and learn to sacrifice our own personal positions and let the majority consensus prevail," he said. "This is the essence of democracy."
He further said the move saved the agrarian reform program from certain death this December 30 as proponents conceded that it would have been impossible for both chambers of Congress to secure the plenary approval of the original Carp bill "because of extreme conflicts on the mode of land acquisition."
The Speaker pointed out that a six-month extension will afford both chambers of Congress "to review and reorient provisions in the agrarian reform law which have outlived their relevance."
"Nonetheless, we will use the six-month extension to craft an entirely new land reform law which would answer the needs of the times considering the global economic challenges, without causing prejudice to the welfare of the Filipino farmers," he said. (WV/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro. (December 19, 2008 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
Dole finds party's job loss report bloated