CARP beneficiaries' safety comes first - DAR chief

Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman has justified his move to defer momentarily the scheduled installation of farmer-beneficiaries in the two properties owned by former Lakas Rep. Herminio Teves in Negros Oriental, saying that he doesn’t want to put their lives and limbs at risk.

“Safety of our farmer-beneficiaries is our top priority,” Pangandaman said even as he told farmer-beneficiaries that there is nothing to worry about, saying that the installation would push through. He did not say exactly when except that it would take place “at the soonest possible time.”

“We are just finalizing security arrangements. We don’t want another bloodshed,” Pangandaman said, apparently aware of the skirmishes that broke out early last year between farmer-beneficiaries and Hacienda Malaga farm workers when the former stormed the controversial sugarcane plantation in La Castellana, Negros Occidental.

Nineteen members of the Villareal-Caranoche Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries were supposed to be installed in the 33-hectare Teven property in Barangay Caranoche, Santa Catalina town, and 11 others in the 28-hectare farm in Barangay Villareal, Bayauan town last week when Pangandaman decided to call it off for fear of the beneficiaries’ safety.

Pangandaman stressed the need for calm and sobriety among all stakeholders. He said that he and his field officials are exhausting all possible means to resolve the impasse through peaceful means.

The DAR chief said forcing the issue at this time when the situation appears to be a little bit tense would be counter-productive as it could lead to more trouble than good.

He recalled the case of one Pepito Santillan Sr., who was shot dead by armed men last Jan. 24, a day after he and fellow farmer-beneficiaries forcibly installed themselves at the Hacienda Malaga, which resulted to a physical confrontation between them and the farm workers close to the management.