Members of the Malaga Cuenca Multi-Purpose Cooperative yesterday called for justice in the implementation of land reform in Hacienda Velez-Malaga in Barangay Robles, La Castellana, while a motion for contempt is set to be filed against those who insist on installing Task Force Mapalad beneficiaries on the disputed land.

Landowner Roberto Cuenca yesterday said there is still a pending court injunction against installation on the questioned property and he is preparing to file a motion for contempt against those planning to do so, before the Supreme Court.

Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman, who was in Iloilo yesterday discussing security measures for the installation, said it was the prerogative of the landowner to seek court action.

But, as far as he is concerned, there are no more legal impediments, that is why the installation will take place within the week, he said.

Pangandaman said he was meeting with the police and Army officials in Iloilo to discuss measures to ensure peace on the farm when installation is enforced.

DAR Undersecretary for Field Operations Narciso Nieto, has set on Wednesday the installation of 122 farmer-beneficiaries, 102 of whom are TFM members, on 144 hectares of Hacienda Velez-Malaga, a TFM press statement said yesterday.

The TFM members had earlier rejected an offer from Cuenca to place them in another portion of the hacienda, saying the offered portion was not covered by a CLOA and that by law the 144 hectares already belong to them, the press statement said.

TFM president Jose Rodito Angeles said: "It is regrettable that Cuenca and his farm workers are still in denial even when it is morally and legally obvious that they no longer have any right to the 144 hectares awarded to 122 farmer-beneficiaries."

Angeles said that all the 122 farmer-beneficiaries are legitimate beneficiaries, but many of them were dismissed by Cuenca when they applied as CARP beneficiaries.

The DAR issued a Certificate of Land Ownership Award granting 144.4 hectares of the Cuenca property identified as lot 852 to 122 farmer beneficiaries, 102 of whom are members of TFM while the 20 are associated with the pro-Cuenca group.

The 198 cooperative members were granted land on lot 851-E covering 301.3 hectares.

The cooperative members yesterday marched through Bacolod City streets to demand justice, saying although they are the original tillers of the land, TFM that has many members who are not from the farm was granted the prime area.

We are asking Gov. Joseph Marañon to help us seek a review of the Certificate of Land Ownership Award issued by DAR to members of Task Force Mapalad to allow for a more equitable implementation of the law, farmer beneficiary Romulo Espinosa said.

Because, as land reform is being implemented now, it is not social justice for us but only for the TFM members, he said.

We are asking the governor to have a fact-finding mission determine the real problem at Hacienda Velez-Malaga, he said.

Espinosa said they are also asking Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra to pray for them and for peace in the farm they live in.

"Why are these TFM people so powerful that the government seems to be afraid of them?" he asked.

Marañon said he will create a task force to look into the concerns of the workers.

"All sides have to be heard before we act on anything, I asked the coop members to submit a formal letter on their request," the governor said.

Proper procedure must be followed in the implementation of land reform, Marañon said.

He also said he had long proposed a procedure for the implementation of land reform involving the government, the rightful beneficiaries and landowner that was contained in a Memorandum of Agreement but is was not adopted by the DAR.*CPG

back to top