DAVAO CITY --The Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) are worried they will lose the struggle of owning the land they are tilling after former Agrarian Reform Secretary Rene Mariano was rejected by the Commission on Appointments (CA) on Wednesday.
This was expressed by ARB leaders of Wadecor Employees Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association, Inc. (WEARBAI) and the Madaum Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association, Inc. (MARBAI) leaders in a press conference here Thursday.
Antonio Tuyak, spokesperson for MARBAI which has still a pending case with the Lapanday Foods Corporation (LFC), was saddened by Mariano’s rejection, whom they described as their only hope who could help them in their continued struggle.
Tuyak recalled that after many years it was only Mariano who implemented their installation to their land of 145 hectares in Madaum, Tagum, Davao del Norte in May, this year.
This was also the same sentiment expressed by Billy Kabintoy, secretary general of WEARBAI. He said the farmers are losing hope they will be finally installed to their claimed land of 485 hectares.
Kabintoy said it has been a long time since the 256 ARBs have been fighting for their installation.
Several administrations passed but it was only under Mariano whom they see hope to win in their struggle. But both Tuyak and Kabintoy are strongly committed to continuing their struggle.
They said their fight for their land does not stop with Mariano’s rejection.
“Despite the rejection, the agrarian reform beneficiaries are not weakened. Ka Paeng was just an instrument in pursuit of the farmer’s right of land. Deep in our hearts, Ka Paeng is rightly confirmed by the peasant mass movement and together with him, we will continue the struggle for genuine agrarian reform,” Kabintoy said in a statement.
Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas-Southern Mindanao Region (KMP-SMR) in a statement the rejection of Mariano was expected because the CA is dominated by big landlords and powerful oligarchs.
Gerry Alborme, the acting secretary general of KMP-SMR, said Mariano has done positive accomplishments when he was the DAR secretary. He cited the installation of the MARBAI ARBs in Davao del Norte.
Alborme said it was unfortunate that Mariano was rejected considering that there are still many ARBs who need to be installed
Alborme vowed to continue to fight for genuine agrarian reform. (Lilian C. Mellejor/PNA)
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