The 106-member San Benito Employees and Laborers Multi-Purpose Cooperative yesterday called on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to speed up the resolution of their request for “revalidation” of Certificates of Land Ownership Award issued to agrarian reform beneficiaries in Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental.

“We would like to appeal for the speedy resolution of the case we filed before your office with the hope that we would finally be recognized as the rightful beneficiaries of Hacienda San Benito in Moises Padilla,” Erlito Batallon, SBELMPC president, said, in his letter to President Arroyo.

SBELMPC also called on the Department of Agrarian Reform to enforce a “status quo” in the hacienda, pending resolution on “revalidation of CLOA” they are being sought, to determine the real farm workers of the hacienda.

Batallon and 66 farm laborers filed complaints against Negros Occidental Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer, Teresita Depeñoso, for alleged violation of Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and RA 6657, or Acts Prejudicial to the Best Interest of Public Service, before the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas. This stemmed from her defiance to implement the order of then Agrarian Reform Secretary Hernani Braganza dated Sept. 5, 2001, re-affirmed by DAR Secretary Nasser Pangandaman on Dec. 6, 2006, that directs the PARO, Negros Occidental, to file a petition for the cancellation of CLOA issued to agrarian reform beneficiaries in the hacienda, before the Agrarian Reform Adjudication Board, and to generate and issue new CLOAs, to include new beneficiaries .

Batallon said their names appeared among those of 106 farm workers as qualified beneficiaries in the order.

Depeñoso described the complaints as “pure, simple and plain harassments”, adding that she should be even rewarded for her efforts in following up of the resolution of their case before the Office of the President.

Batallon said they have been trying to maintain peace and order in their farm and community, while waiting for the final resolution of the case.

However, he added, this peace was recently disrupted after a group of claimants, some of whom are not even legitimate farm workers of the former landowners, who want to lay claim to a bigger portion of the land.

“We are tired of living amidst a continued threat of hostility, but while we have vowed never to allow violence to erupt in our area again, we will be forced to protect our lives and our rights if DAR will not heed our appeal of status quo, while the case filed has not been resolved,” Batallon said.

While they are thanking Pangandaman for heeding their call to cancel the CLOA issued to the hacienda, Batallon said they are urging him to direct Depeñoso to execute his order, which stipulates the cancellation of the CLOA and proceed with the revalidation of bona fide beneficiaries for the generation of a new CLOA.

“The law clearly states that regular farm workers will be given priority over seasonal workers and landless people, and we hope DAR will protect our rights in this fight”, he added.

Depeñoso said she will implement the order, as soon as there is an order of finality from the Office of the President.*GPB

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