PARO threatens trouble

While Church and local government authorities with Presidential Assistant for Western Visayas, Rafael Coscolluela, have sought ways to defuse tensions in Hacienda Velez-Malaga, PARO Teresita Depeñoso said she will push through with the cultivation of more land awarded to beneficiaries by the Department of Agrarian Reform.

Coscolluela had instead proposed a status quo and asked DAR to ask for the early resolution by the Supreme Court of the cases of the hacienda pending final decision.

But, no, Ms. Depeñoso seems hell bent on equipping the Task Force Mapalad members with "tractors" instead of sharp or bladed instruments to cultivate their land.

The question - who will supply them the tractors? And she immediately added that if violence, which I pray will not take place, occurs it will be other side who will initiate it, not TFM members who are harmless.

That is as candid an admission that DAR seems to be operating as the implementing arm of TFM, not as a government body.

And, yes, they are now name-calling, dubbing Negros police chief Rosendo Franco as "the last line of defense" of landowner Roberto Cuenca. And, of course, Negros Occidental Governor Joseph Marañon as using Franco as his muscle in frustrating land reform in the province.

Depeñoso seemed not to have heard what Kabankalan Bishop Patrick Buzon pointed out - "You are fighting for land, now land is being given to you, then why are you still looking for conflict?"

Or, for that matter, the comment of La Castellana Mayor Alberto Nicor - "it's very obvious that the welfare of its farmers members are farthest from its mind," when confronted by the insistence of TFM to occupy the 53 hectares against the 99 hectares ceded to them by the estate owner. Why, because the 53 hectares included the houses of the union workers, their union headquarters and their cooperative.

Thus, in their resolution No. 15, PARCOM deplored how TFM often were radical in their statements against DAR provincial office personnel and tended to show their supporters, and others that they have access, linkages, or control, so to speak, with some officials from the DAR central office where they could get hold of international communications, etc.

That's why I am wondering whether the protest signed by the Association of MAROs of Negros Occidental has basis in fact since the PARCOM members should be the first to notice something very wrong going on in the management of DAR and the linkages between them and TFM.

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August 11 should be a letter day for Negrense music lovers. That's when Gilopez Kabayao and his entire family - Corazon and their children - will stage another concert at the Seventh Day Adventist compound in Abuanan, Bago City.

For those who are fans of Gilopez and his brood, this is another must destination.

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Rep. Monico Puentevella took up the cudgels for barangay captains and other village officials by filing House Bill No. 477 which, among others batted for incentives for social and health workers and sought to increase the honoraria of barangay captains, kagawads, treasurers, tanod and members of the Lupong Taga-pamayapa and SK officials.

These incentives also cover hospitalization and medical benefits.

In another, HB 481, he also proposed a lump sum appropriation for elected barangay captains who have served three consecutive terms a gratuity pay of P200,000 and P150,000 for the kagawads.

He also proposed that tanods under HB 482 would be covered by hospitalization and medical benefits. And Puentevella would also provide scholarship benefits for children-beneficiaries and exemption from tuition for their dependents enrolled in state college and universities.

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I do agree that the establishments of toll gates by Hinobaan and Sipalay landowners along the national highway inconvenienced the riding public and motorists. But there is the corresponding responsibility on the part of officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways and the government to expedite the payment to the landowners of the use of their lands for the highway. DPWH Regional Director Rolando Asis should have explained to the Regional Trial Court of Kabankalan why the DPWH has been extremely delayed in processing the payments of the landowners.

I think it is but fair that the judge also orders DPWH to accelerate the processing of the expropriation proceedings and the payment of what is due them under the law.

It cannot protect the interest of the majority without the corresponding insistence and the right of the individual to justice. Say mo, Atty. Ivar Solidum?*

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