“There are no tyrants if there are no cowards, we are not cowards…this government is not weak,” Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon said yesterday.

Marañon was reacting to the possible agrarian reform takeover of a portion of the Negros First Ranch in Brgy. Santa Rosa, Murcia, and stating the provincial government’s determination to oppose it.

The provincial government is filing a petition for a temporary restraining order before a Regional Trial Court to prevent the Register of Deeds from annotating the coverage of 50 hectares of the 160 hectares ranch that has been placed under the government’s Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.

Marañon said that before the provincial government purchased the property, it asked the Department of Agrarian Reform if it was subject to CARP coverage and did not get a reply.

The notice of CARP coverage only came after the provincial government purchased the property, he added.

We will go to court to oppose the move, the cattle business is exempt from land reform coverage according to a Supreme Court ruling, he said, noting that the provincial government has numerous legal remedies.

The Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan on Wednesday gave the governor authority to file a petition for declaratory relief and quieting of title against the Register of Deeds, relative to Lot 1 of Psd-13708 consisting of 500,000 square meters owned by the provincial government in Brgy. Santa Rosa.*CPG

back to top