DAVAO City — Agrarian reform beneficiaries in Tagum City, Davao del Norte province expressed fear that it will now be easy for a banana company to evict them from the disputed land after the powerful Commission on Appointments rejected the appointment of Rafael Mariano as the secretary of the Department of Agrarian Reform.
Members of the Madaum Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association Inc. were installed in the 145-hectare disputed land in May, six years after they were ousted from the land.
“Nagpabilin among kabalaka pananglit sudlon mi sa Lapanday, unya kami mapagawas. Kinsa may mo-install namo balik kung wala na si Ka Paeng,” Antonio Tuyac, spokesperson of the Marbai told reporters here.
Tuyac said there have been threats from suspected guards of the LFC to enter their area.
Farmer beneficiaries are taking turns every night and day in securing the perimeter of the San Isidro farm area, he said.
Tuyac warned that ARBs will not give up the land which they acquired after Mariano issued a Writ of Installation in favor of them.
“Kung mosulod gyud ang Lapanday, pakamat-yan namo nang lugara,” he said.
Mariano’s appointment was denied on Sept. 6 by the CA.
During the deliberation, a joint resolution by the Regional Peace and Order Council of Southern Mindanao in May cited Mariano as being involved in the New People’s Army raid, which Mariano denied.
Officials of the LFC present during the CA hearing said Mariano is “unfit” to hold the position as DAR chief.
After the installation of the Marbai farmers in May, the LFC also sued Mariano and DAR Undersecretary before the Ombudsman with violation of Section 3, Paragraph E of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, grave misconduct and grave abuse of authority.
LFC counsel, Atty. Noel Oliver Punzalan accused the two officials of “giving unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference” to the ARBs under Marbai after DAR issued a cease and desist order (CDO) prohibiting the company from evicting the ARBs who had entered the San Isidro (Sanid) farm in San Isidro village last Dec. 9, 2016. (davaotoday.com)
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