Their slip showed glaringly

As earlier reported, I had been tipped about something amiss going on in the province: Task Force Mapalad officers inviting mediamen to their installation by Department of Agrarian Reform at Hacienda Velez-Malaga of Bob Cuenca. But, later, on confirming the invitation, the mediamen heard the DAR officials deny they had the installation scheduled. Later, after the slaying of one and wounding of four others - two of them were Cuenca employees - Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman blamed the violence that broke out in La Castellana on Task Force Mapalad self-installation of agrarian reform beneficiaries.

That TFM officials did not anymore consider the fact that they were not supposed to "self-install" but must wait for the government order of the DAR was not right. Instead, they immediately blamed Pangandaman for the violence that claimed the life of Pepito Santillan.

Pangandaman's indecisiveness and failure to fulfill his promise to install the CLOA holders led to the incident, claimed Edna Sobrecaray.

"It is Task Force Mapalad that risked the lives of farmer beneficiaries," Pangandaman riposted.

Worse, there was an ongoing negotiation conducted by his office between Bob Cuenca, the hacienda owner, and TFM lawyer Christian Monsod when the farmer-beneficiaries installed themselves Wednesday without DAR and the other stakeholders.

Cuenca yesterday said his offer of 114 hectares, of which 84 represented sugarlands, still stands.

"I had already signed it. The document is now with the DAR. So, why should I withdraw it and be accused of rescinding what I had already signed away?" was Cuenca's reaction to the TFM issue.

TFM member, Pepito Santillan, 62, died Thursday after he was shot by unidentified armed men in Hda. Velez-Malaga.

He was the sixth victim in the series of deaths linked to the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program in Negros Occidental in 2004.

The group, who identified themselves as Army men, reportedly peppered the Santillan residence with M-16 and shotgun rounds.

Meanwhile, Enrique Maliksi, chief security guard of the hacienda, reportedly identified the man who had shot him. He is reportedly known to him as well as his place, according to reports reaching this writer.

Senior Inspector Placido Composa, the La Castellana police chief, said the two incidents took place after TFM members installed themselves and occupied a portion of the hacienda owned by members of the cooperative of farm workers of Cuenca.

The installation was reportedly done without coordinating with the Department of Agrarian Reform.

Pangandaman said he is opposed to the installation of some beneficiaries who are not actual tillers of the land.

He also disclosed that DAR was in the process of identifying the rightful beneficiaries when the TFM self-installed themselves, "triggering the violence."

"The TFM leaders cannot escape responsibility over this sad development. If only its leaders abided by our earlier agreement not to force this issue, this could not have happened," the DAR secretary added.

Ironically, when the incident happened, DAR officials and key personnel were holding their annual assessment and planning conference at the Waterfront Hotel in Davao City.

TFM leader Gregorio Paclibar later called for Pangandaman to resign and let a more capable person handle the job of DAR secretary to ensure the effective implementation of CARP.

What was funny was that the TFM held a rally in Bacolod Thursday and did not condemn those behind the self-installation that led to the violence Wednesday.

So, as they say, the mantra is supposed to work…. repeat the big lie repeatedly until it becomes the truth.

***

There is no gainsaying that Gen. Doromal deserves a medal for braving the guffaws of mediamen during his controversial report where he even said that the policemen who participated in the Iloilo provincial capitol dispersal operation also deserved commendation.

That was courage beyond the call of duty. He headed the PNP fact-finding committee.

***

Meanwhile, Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas said tickets for the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand's seating capacity of 2,000 have been sold out. He requested the city engineer's office to construct an extension.

The number of balikbayans and foreigners expected to witness the exhibition dances and competition of tribal dangers is estimated to exceed 200,000. Have a nice Dinagyang affair.*

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