Church, gov’t on collision course on Cha-cha

Catholic Church authorities in Bacolod City launched Wednesday its campaign against the government’s efforts to amend the Constitution through the "people’s initiative."

Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra personally kicked off the drive with a torch parade, vowing to continue the fight until it gets results.

The two other dioceses of Negros Occidental — San Carlos and Kabankalan — backed the campaign. They took part in the torch parade.

Navarra, who spoke in fluent Ilonggo, stressed that it is the "vow of the Church in Bacolod, of the bishop, the priests and the faithful, to continue our actions until we achieve results."

He lashed out repeatedly at what he called "lies and deception" used by the Arroyo administration and Congress in pushing for constitutional amendments.

But Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon doused cold water on the Church-backed campaign, pointing out that "it is still the rule of the majority that must be followed when we decide to change the Constitution."

Reacting to the anti-Cha-cha campaign which will continue until June 12, Marañon said, "They are entitled to their opinion and judgment, but I do not believe that it is a reflection and sentiment of the majority. The Church position against Cha-cha does not follow that it is already the stand of the majority," added Marañon.

He pointed out that if the signature campaign showed that the proponents have gathered the signatures of the majority, "How can we question that?"

Navarra, in his homily, lashed out repeatedly at what he called the "lies and deceptions" used by the Arroyo administration and Congress is pushing for constitutional amendments.

He said that those in power, the promoters of Charter change, should realize that what needs to be changed is not the Constitution but "their greed and selfish ambitions."

Bacolod vicar general Victorino Rivas followed up with the statement that the Church still stands by the rule of law and the principle of due process.

"Any political option should be based on morals and on conscience," he said. He also questioned plans to railroad Charter change through a constituent assembly of both houses of Congress.

"Why should we allow those with questionable credibility to tamper with such a sacred document as the Constitution? Rivas asked.

Navarra also rejected con-ass, stressing that the only way the Charter could be changed is through a constitutional convention convened after enough time and ample preparation.

The Bacolod prelate, though, acknowledged that "we are battling a giant," pointing out that this is true by any measure of human perception and human capacity.

Fr. Aniceto Buenafe, diocesan social action director, said the campaign will culminate on June 12 with a mass action. This will be preceded by a caravan that will pass through six cities and six towns of the Bacolod diocese to rally the faithful to the anti-Cha-cha campaign.

Nuns and members of religious orders participated in the torch parade, and there was also a group of prominent lay leaders of the Church. And the Church asked members of various civic and non-government organizations, particularly religious organizations, to join hands with the Church in its anti-Cha-cha campaign.

In short, the reality is how much clout the Church has on a matter that is of secular concern rather than a question of morals.

The reality on the ground shows that with barangay officials and local government units backing constitutional change, chances are the campaign may fall flat on its face.

Land reform killing

Police yesterday set up checkpoints in various areas of La Castellana town to capture the suspected gunman in Monday’s killing of Mario Domingo, leader of the Task Force Mapalad in Hacienda Cambuktot, La Castellana.

The suspect, Romulo Ellano, was identified by witnesses as the one who allegedly shot Domingo.

"Right now, we are in hot pursuit of the suspect," reported PNP provincial director Charles Calima.

He also directed the Regional Mobile Patrol Group to put up a detachment in the area to provide security to all stakeholders in the conflict.

"Only legitimate CLOA holders will be allowed entry into the farm and charges of trespassing will be filed against those who will violate it," Calima said.

The group, led by Ellano, alias Ka Sword, a former NPA armed regular, Eduardo Semillano, Joepet Ariasa, Lito Silverio and 16 other John Does, was reportedly a claimant to a portion of the hacienda.

Rudith Gustilo pointed out to mediamen yesterday that the family has exhausted all peaceful means to solve the land conflict, but has just been overtaken by time.

She said they had a dialogue last May 11 and 14 with Senior Superintendent Calima and other landowners affected by the CARP implementation.

"We have no second thoughts on giving up this land as long as we are duly compensated," Gustilo said.

The problem is that despite the DAR’s failure to deposit the money intended for compensation for the land, CLOAs have already been issued. Without a trust deposit, the DAR issued CLOAs to 91 beneficiaries, she added.

In short, the transfer of titles to the Republic of the Philippines was effected without notice to the owner, much less a just compensation deposited with the bank, she pointed out.

Despite the July 26, 2005 memorandum of understanding between the landowners and the DAR, the CARP beneficiaries affiliated with TFM disregarded the MOU last Feb. 1 by expanding their cultivation, forcibly occupying an additional 50 hectares of newly planted sugarlands.

Now, that is often the source of conflicts that result in several killings in the province.

Based on the complaints of several sugar farmers, their properties had been cancelled and transferred to the Republic of the Philippines despite the lack of compensation when the CARL clearly states that titles cannot be transferred without informing the landowners and paying for their lands.

The forcible takeover and illegal actuations of CARP beneficiaries in gross violation of the MOU were apparently sanctioned by provincial agrarian reform officer Felicidad Bañares as well as by PARO 1 Manuel Velasco and MARO Nelda Salmorin.

Anyway, Gov. Marañon has asked the PNP to speedily solve the Domingo killing and also make sure that no further violence takes place in the disputed hacienda.

ADDENDUM. This is one incident that properly belongs to Bobit Avila, our colleague in Cebu City. But it is something that also concerns Negrenses. This story refers to 31 Negrenses, 15 of them minors, who were reportedly rescued Monday from a Cebu City junkshop where they were allegedly treated like pigs. Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña led the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Region 7 and the Department of Social Welfare and Development in saving the Negrenses from the Pardo junkshop of Rustom Ignacio. Most of them were reportedly from Barangay Culipapa in Hinobaan town. They were reportedly hired by a certain Vivencio Hugo last January. They were reportedly promised a monthly salary of P1,500, including free board and lodging and food allowance plus a Sunday dayoff. The group, however, was not allowed to get out of the compound and was fed kangkong. After the raid, Osmeña endorsed them to the DSWD. They will be brought back to Hinobaan today. Charges of large-scale illegal recruitment and child abuse have reportedly been filed against Ignacio, according to a report.