Braganza orders probe of Davao shooting

An angry Agrarian Reform Secretary Hernani Braganza ordered yesterday a thorough investigation into the shooting incident at the DAR’s Southern Mindanao office in Davao City which resulted in injuries to a DAR employee and eight protesting farmers.

This developed as Braganza, who is now in Oslo, Norway, also accepted the offer of DAR regional director Rodolfo Inson to go on leave pending the result of the investigation. Inson reportedly witnessed the shooting incident.

In a directive sent from Oslo, Braganza directed DAR Undersecretary Efren Moncupa to assist the wounded farmers in filing criminal charges against security guards involved in the shooting incident.

"I condemn this violent action which resulted in the wounding of eight farmers. This administration does not condone such violence, and I am extending my apologies to all those injured," Braganza said in a fax statement from Oslo.

Braganza left the country last Saturday to attend the resumption of the peace negotiations between the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF).

"I have repeatedly instructed our field officers to exercise maximum tolerance in dealing with protesting farmers. That’s why I immediately adopted an open-door policy at all offices of DAR when I assumed office last February," he said.

According to initial reports reaching the DAR central office, the violence erupted when about 100 farmers affiliated with the Ugnayan Kapatiran ng Nagkakaisang Organisasyon sa Kanayunan (UNORKA) held a rally in front of the DAR regional office in Davao City and padlocked its main gate.

One of the DAR security guards reportedly shot the padlock, shattering it into fragments that hit eight of the rallyists and a janitor detailed at the DAR regional office.

Braganza immediately ordered Moncupa to fly to Davao City to conduct his own investigation to pinpoint who among the DAR executives there should be held responsible.

Inson expressed regrets over the shooting incident, saying he had not issued any instructions to the security guards to use force on the protesting farmers.

"I am voluntarily going on leave so that nobody can accuse me of using my position to influence the investigation," he said.

"In so doing, I also wish to demonstrate my sense of responsibility as the regional director in the area," he added.

Braganza promised to shoulder all the hospital expenses incurred by the injured farmers.

He also vowed to terminate the services of the DAR’s security agency in Region 11. — Jose Rodel Clapano