Agrarian reform program beneficiaries of the hacienda previously owned by the heirs of V. Moras in Brgy. Tamisu, Bais City , Negros Oriental expressed alarm over the presence of several policemen in their place, Wednesday.

Angel Tormon of the Negros Farmers Council said Regional Mobile Group troopers arrived in their place while farmers were harvesting sugarcane in the 31-hectare plantation

Tormon said there was no reported violence in the hacienda, and farmers were surprised about the presence of the Philippine National Police, and allegedly by Army men.

Tormon, quoting NFC official Mario Cadalso, said the presence of government forced had brought high tension in the area.

He said the area has been covered by Certificates of Land Ownership Awards from the Department of Agrarian Reform. Beneficiaries stood pat that they are the rightful owners of the land.

The tension in the hacienda started when agrarian adjudicator Vivian Maquiling of the Provincial Agrarian Reform Adjudication Division, had served the notice of coverage of the land to one of the heirs of Moras who was already dead, while the living heirs were not notified.

The PARAD officer cancelled the CLOA's and reverted the ownership to the Moras family, Tormon claimed, adding that the lands were leased to individuals despite their knowledge that these are covered by CLOAs.

Tormon and Cadalso called on Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer Grace Fua to step into the dispute to avert violence. They also urged the police and the military not to harass the beneficiaries, and instead help maintain the peace and order.

Eugene Quirante, liaison officer for Negros Oriental of the Centro Saka, Inc. said the presence of policemen and soldiers is uncalled for, as it was a psychological harassment against the farmers.

The NFC is one of the beneficiary organizations of Centro Saka, Inc., a nationwide advocacy farmers institution.*RG

back to top