Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman, Gov. Joseph Marañon and Negros Occidental Police Director Rosendo Franco yesterday reiterated the need to follow proper procedure in the installation of agrarian reform beneficiaries to prevent bloodshed.

Their statements came as Task Force Mapalad yesterday claimed that the "trail of blood" left by the death of agrarian reform beneficiary Pepito Santillan, 62, at Hacienda Velez, Malaga, in La Castellana Thursday and the wounding of two of their members on Wednesday "leads to Malacañang."

In a statement issued at a press conference, TFM also asked what bonds there are between Rep. Ignacio Arroyo Jr. (Neg. Occ., 5th district) and landowner Roberto Cuenca that would justify his inaction on the call of the farmer beneficiaries in his district to be installed in Hacienda-Velez Malaga.

Arroyo, when asked for comment, denied the TFM claims that he had any part in the delay in the installation of farmer beneficiaries in Hacienda Velez-Malaga.

Arroyo pointed out that, as Pangandaman stated, negotiations were underway to ensure a peaceful installation of the beneficiaries when the TFM members on Wednesday decided to install themselves.

The TFM members did not coordinate with the DAR and the police before entering the property triggering the violent confrontation, Arroyo said. They could not wait, and put the lives of their members at risk, they cannot blame government for what happened. The "trail of blood leads to TFM," Arroyo said.

TFM spokesperson Edna Sobrecanay yesterday also denounced Pangandaman for failing to install the 122-farmer beneficiaries on Hacienda Velez Malaga. She said the DAR secretary betrayed the farmer beneficiaries and took the side of Cuenca.

"If there is anyone who should be held responsible for the death of Santillan and the wounding of two other agrarian reform beneficiaries, it is none other than Pangandaman," Sobrecanay claimed.

She also said that Cuenca had prepared and signed a memorandum of understanding with Pangandaman that provided for the cancellation of the CLOA of ARBs, the issuance of a new CLOA for Cuenca's farm workers, and the eviction of ARB's currently occupying 10 hectares of the awarded land.

"Pangandaman has not yet signed the MOU, but the mere fact of its existence is a clear indication that a negotiation between him and Cuenca is going on behind the back of the ARBs," Sobrecanay said. Pangandaman told the DAILY STAR the MOU was a draft made by the Cuenca camp even before he become DAR secretary and it was presented to him when he assumed office. He said he did not know why TFM is linking him to it when he had not approved it.

Florenda Helario, a TFM member, said they decided to install themselves because the DAR secretary despite repeated promises had failed to do so.

She claimed that the TFM members who installed themselves at Hacienda Velez Malaga on Wednesday were unarmed and that the guard and worker of Cuenca were injured by their own companions.

The people of Cuenca fired at the TFM members as they drove them out of the property, Helario said.

Franco, on the other hand, said the police initial investigation showed that the some TFM members had firearms, too.*CPG

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