Gov. Alfredo Marañon yesterday said those who forcibly entered the Negros First Farm in Murcia owned by the Negros Occidental provincial government, and took over a portion of the area will be apprehended and charged in court.

Senior Supt. Allan Guisihan, Negros Occidental police provincial director, said the police have been sent to the area to apprehend the illegal occupants who have started to plow the area.

On Monday the illegal occupants took over more than one hectare of the 159-hectare Negros First Ranch that houses the provincial government's cattle and sheep from Australia, Dr. Renante Decena, Negros Occidental provincial veterinarian, said.

They took over property in the upper portion of the ranch about 2 kilometers from where the cattle and sheep are located, Decena said.

About eight men with carabaos began plowing the property they had entered, while their 10 female companions were cutting down the grass, he said.

They told the Negros First Farm manager they were entitled to the land as agrarian reform beneficiaries and planned to plant corn in the area, Decena said.

They have no right to the property that had already been purchased by the provincial government, he added.

The illegally occupied area has been allotted for the planting of grass needed to feed the sheep on the farm, Decena said.

Regional Mobile Group policemen have been instructed to apprehend the illegal occupants, he said.

A police and army detachment is located in the area where the cattle and sheep are kept on the farm, a distance away from where the illegal occupants had entered, Decena explained.

Guisihan said the illegal occupants have to be removed because if they are allowed to remain in the area, more will follow them in.

Marañon pointed out that when the provincial government purchased the farm property, a portion of it had been apportioned for existing residents of the area.

The illegal occupants will be arrested and a case will be filed against them, as they even threatened Capitol employees there, the governor said.*CPG

back to top