Negros Occidental government officials yesterday slammed the Department of Agrarian Reform for installing farmer beneficiaries affiliated with Task Force Mapalad on Hacienda Velez-Malaga in La Castellana town, without coordinating with them, despite the threat of violence breaking out.

Governor Joseph Marañon said he and La Castellana Mayor Enrico Elumba expected that DAR Secretary Nasser Pangadaman and other officials would inform them of the installations.

To his dismay, Marañon said, Pangandaman has shown no respect for local government officials. Elumba said the DAR installed the farmer beneficiaries despite the danger that may erupt at Hacienda Velez-Malaga in La Castellana.

"You enter the area without coordination and leave us with the mess," Elumba said.

Marañon said, " We will not let him do that to us again". Board Member Reynaldo Depasucat yesterday said Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman may have violated ethical standards with his act.

Pangandaman has failed to coordinate with Governor Marañon and Mayor Elumba not only once, but twice, within two weeks this month.

A few days earlier, Marañon had also admonished Pangandaman, and called him "disrespectful," for failing to coordinate with the provincial government on their activity at the hacienda.

Marañon also criticized the 6th Regional Mobile for placing under the sun for more than two hours the 29 hacienda farm workers allegedly responsible for throwing stones during the installation of TFM members.

They should be treated as human beings, the governor said.

Asked what possible violation had been committed by Pangandaman, Depasucat said. He may have violated the law on Ethical Standards governing the conduct of public officials".

Depasucat said he will sponsor a resolution at the SP asking the national government offices to properly coordinate with local government units in any act concerning public interest and implementation of the law.*GPB

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