Senior Supt. Pedro Merced, director of the 6th Regional Mobile Group, is now facing two complaints for serious neglect of duty before the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management.

Merced had assisted the Department of Agrarian Reform in the installation of 53 agrarian reform beneficiaries affiliated with Task Force Mapalad on March 22 in the controversial Hacienda Velez- Malaga property in La Castellana, Ironically, the TFM members his men had secured on March 22 are now the complainants in the administrative charges filed against him before DIDM, Merced said.

Merced is among the 15 police officers who are facing administrative and criminal charges, in connection with the implementation of agrarian reform program in Negros Occidental, police records show.

Former La Castellana police chief Regidor Alvarado, Senior Supt. Reynaldo Rafal, Lt. Col. Jess Manangquil, 11th Infantry Battalion commander, and Merced are also respondents in the contempt charges filed by landowner Roberto Cuenca before the Supreme Court, police records also showed.

Senior Supt. Charles Calima, former provincial police director of Negros Occidental, Supt. Milko Lirazan and 10 other policemen assigned in Himamaylan have also been in the list of police officers charged before the Ombudsman for the Military. National Police Commission, and the DAR Adjudication Board, in connection with the agrarian reform conflict in Hacienda Nabal, Himamaylan City.

All the police officers who are respondents in the agrarian-reform related charges, yesterday said they are spending their own money to hire lawyers who will defend them in court.

Alvarado said they could be charged for neglect of duty if they fail to assist DAR. If they go along with DAR, he said they are being included in charges filed by the other party.

Senior Inspector Raymond Maningo replaces Alvarado as La Castellana police chief on July 13.

Merced who is retiring from the police service in November next year, was charged by TFM for serious neglect of duty, in connection with the killing of two agrarian reform beneficiaries on June 4 in Hacienda Velez-Malaga, La Castellana.

He said they were assured by DAR of legal assistance. However, he added, "I have received none as of this time".

Merced, however, said "My immediate superiors will not issue an order if there is no basis".

As long as we do not go beyond the law, why worry? Merced asked if his retirement benefits will be affected by the numerous administrative charges filed against him.

Senior Supt. Rosendo Franco, provincial police director, who admitted having been bypassed by DAR during the installation of TFM beneficiaries on March 22 in Hacienda Velez- Malaga, that led to violence and damage to properties, said they are contemplating to adopt a hands-off policy on any request, either from the DAR or farmer's groups, in the installation of agrarian reform beneficiaries in disputed areas, which have cases pending in court.

While DAR also assured them of legal assistance, Franco said some retiring policemen have not been able to receive their benefits, while others were not promoted because of pending complaints related to the CARP implementation filed against them.

Lirazan who is the Himamaylan police chief, said he alone is facing administrative charges before the Ombudsman for the Military, and another complaint, together with Calima, 10 Himamaylan policemen, Municipal Agrarian Reform Officer Roger Serafica, former Negros Occidental PARO Felicidad Banares before the DARAB.

CARP only brings misery to me, he stressed, citing he has to spend his own money to hire a lawyer and attend court hearings.

Numerous incidents of agrarian reform-related violence in Negros Occidental, have resulted in the death of several agrarian reform beneficiaries and leaders since 2001, the police said.*GPB

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