Eleven more farmer-beneficiaries from Hacienda Velez-Malaga in Negros Occidental have joined the hunger striking farmers in front of the Department of Agrarian Reform in Diliman, Quezon City, a press release from Task Force Mapalad said yesterday.

Leading the group - composed of nine men and two women - is Gregorio Paclibar, 57, president of Hacienda Velez-Malaga Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organization, an affiliate of TFM, the press release said.

Other members of the group are Guillermo Santillan, 49; Endreque Dalgontas, 45; Lucy Dalgontas, 28; Alan Provedo, 35; Jerry Tupas, 31; Roberto Diamante, 64; Julie Santillan, 34; Soledad Dalgontas, 42; Ely Tupas, 50; and Junjun Diamante, 39, the press release also said.

TFM president Jose Rodito Angeles said the group will reinforce the six female and one male farmers who have signified intention to continue their hunger strike until after the farmer-beneficiaries are installed in the 144-hectare portion of the hacienda, located in Barangay Robles, La Castellana.

Angeles said the original 13 male hunger strikers, aged between 18 and 40, are going back to the hacienda to secure their 10-hectare occupied area against possible intrusion by men of landowner Roberto Cuenca, the press release said. It also said that three of the eight original women hunger strikers - Adelaida Santillan, 60, Erlinda Gregorio, 57, and Florenda Hilario, 48 - had been advised by doctors to rest and take some food, but Hilario, who was diagnosed with a weak heart, said she would continue her hunger strike.

TFM also said in another press release that a report that Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman had initiated talks with stakeholders involved in Hacienda Velez-Malaga is untrue.

Angeles said Pangandaman is again spinning a tale to save face after his failure last Thursday to install the farmer-beneficiaries of Hacienda Velez-Malaga.

Angeles also said Pangandaman has no intention to install the farmer-beneficiaries and that, in the first place, during his two years as officer-in-charge of DAR, they have not heard that he has ever installed a single farmer-beneficiary anywhere. His installation record is zero. Installation is not in his vocabulary, the press release said.

Meanwhile, Gov. Joseph Marañon reiterated that he is sending his proposed Memorandum of Agreement that sets a procedure for the peaceful implementation of land reform in Negros Occidental.

Maranon said it is important that the DAR conducts a dialog with the various farmers groups in Hacienda Velez-Malaga.*

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