THE Lapanday Foods Corporation (LFC), in a statement issued last week, renewed its offer for a constructive dialogue between members of Madaum Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association (Marbai) and Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).
The company, in a statement released last May 5, said they want the dialogue to hopefully and finally resolve issues that pertain to the portion of the farm that is subject to the concerted action of Marbai and its supporters.
LFC, however, said that the final and executory judgment on its compromise agreement with the Hijo Employees Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative-1 has been upheld by the Davao City Regional Trial Court Branch 14.
"The same ruling was reiterated when the same court released its April 18 Order. Furthermore, the court ruled that DAR has no jurisdiction on the case because it is not an agrarian dispute. The company shall nevertheless take the path that will lead towards the the peaceful and fair resolution of these issues," the statement read.
The LFC has invited its stakeholders to negotiate a final and lasting agreement in good faith that will be acceptable to all "for the benefit of Mindanao and in particular and in the country in general".
The LFC said that they will not be distracted by the recent events and that they aim to renew their willingness to be a major contributor to the growth and development in Mindanao.
Based on their statement, the company will stand by what is fair in dealing with employees, customers, other business partners and communities where it operates.
"LFC is confident that as a law-abiding company it will continue to forge good and transparent relationships with its various stakeholders. In turn, it expects that it is given its due to peacefully and safely operate under the environment that guarantees LFC's personnel, operations and facilities are not endangered nor unfairly undermined," the statement read.