Negros Occidental Acting Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday urged the Department of Agrarian Reform to decide on the property purchased by the provincial government in Murcia town, that is being claimed by farmers to be covered by the government agrarian reform program.

Lacson, who met with the agrarian reform group leaders of Hacienda Ilimnan and Arloc in Brgy. Santa Rosa, Murcia, said the DAR should resolve the conflicting positions of both parties as soon as possible.

The provincial government of Negros Occidental, that had established the Negros First Ranch in Brgy. Santa Rosa, Murcia, maintained that the land acquisition and improvement of the property was legal, while the agrarian reform beneficiaries, who are also members of the National Federation of Sugarcane Workers, are claiming that it was not.

The dialog came a week after protestors tried to barge into the provincial Capitol building in Bacolod City, to air their demands and concerns during the regular SP regular session.

A commotion occurred when they were barred from entering Capitol building premises by security guards and policemen.

Lacson explained to them that it was impossible for them to join the SP session. In a regular session, he said, there is an agenda to follow and anybody can not just come in and speak.

The NFSW claimed that 155 hectares of land in Hacienda Ilimnan Brgy. Santa Rosa, and 55 more hectares in Hacienda Arloc, Brgy. Canlandog, all in Murcia have already been covered by CARP.

“It is up to DAR to come up with a decision,” Lacson said, adding that if there is a need to call DAR provincial officials to a committee hearing, we will do that.

The SP would like to see a speedy resolution to this situation because it is not healthy anymore, he stressed.

The NFSW and its allied organizations are also opposing the conversion of the property in Murcia into a pineapple plantation of DOLE Philippines.*GPB

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