Two security guards were arrested and disarmed by troopers of the 603rd Regional Mobile Group in Hacienda Mariano, Brgy. Bagtic, Silay City, for allegedly threatening a group of agrarian reform beneficiaries with guns on Monday.

The RMG troopers also recovered two .38 caliber revolvers issued by Millgos Security Agency to Reynaldo Padernal and Vicente Valgona whose services were hired by the heirs of Mariano Locsin, and a .357 magnum revolver.

Ernesto Bonifacio, president of the Hacienda Mariano Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries, yesterday said the two security guards who were in civilian clothes, and a person claiming to be hacienda overseer of Locsin, poked guns at them.

In a dialog with DLR officials, Bonifacio claimed they have been allowed to cultivate the 43-hectare property of Locsin, which was used as collateral in securing a loan from the Philippine National Bank, and later leased to Deogracias de la Paz.

After harvesting his planted sugarcane in 2004. Bonifacio further claimed, they were authorized by de la Paz to continue cultivating the property which he said he already owned.

Silay police chief Celestino Guara yesterday said an order had been issued by Judge Reynaldo Alon allowing ARBs to cultivate and harvest the planted sugarcane. However, the agrarian reform beneficiaries were required to deposit the quedans with the court, Guara added.

The two security guards and the firearms were turned over to the Silay police yesterday. Guara said charges of grave threats will be filed against them if evidence warrants.*GPB

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