By LITO RULONA Correspondent MEMBERS of the Misamis Oriental Farmers’ Association (Mofa) on Monday staged a demonstration outside the regional office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to call for the cancellation of a free patent to a 60-hectare property that could displace some 100 families in Santiago, Barangay 26, Gingoog City. Alfredo Patay Sr., spokesperson of the group, said the free patent was secured by one Evelyn Ranises. He said Mofa and other groups like the Mimbuo Homeowners’ Association, United Farmers’ Association, and Kilusang Magbubikid ng Pilipinas want DENR regional director Ruth Tawantawan to cancel the free patent. In a petition submitted to the DENR, the demonstrators said the tax declaration and the claimant’s record during cadastral survey in 1956 were questionable because the farmers have been occupying the land long before that. Patay said the disputed property has been cultivated by over 100 families for many decades. Lately, he said, the farmers were complaining of harassment by members of the Gingoog police. “Nagsugod na ang harassment kay bisan ang among mga tarp nga gibutang gilangkat naman sa mga polis. And then they issued a statement nga ipa-bulldoze ang among mga kabalayan,” he said. Demonstrators Lorna Sanoy and Naomi Barsopia Lagaolao alleged that the free patent was issued because the Community Environment and Natural Resources (Cenro) in Gingoog produced false documents. Patay said, “It was shown by DENR during a dialogue that the area was a public land pero kalit lang karon dunay nag-ingon nga ila ang maong yuta bisan wala sila magtikad niini sukad-sukad.” (lito rulona)