Security execs tell CA of intel reports on Mariano’s link to NPA attacks on Lapanday

Several security and local government officials have informed the Commission on Appointments (CA) of intelligence reports that Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael “Ka Paeng” Mariano had a “direct participation” in the planning of the New People’s Army (NPA) attacks at the facilities of Lapanday Foods Corporation early this year.

During the CA committee on agrarian reform hearing Wednesday, Mariano was confronted by members of the bicameral body of a resolution forwarded by the Regional Development Council (RDC) and Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) in Davao Region.

The said resolution was signed by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Armed Forces chief General Eduardo Año, AFP Eastern Mindanao Command commander Lieutenant General Rey Leonardo Guerrero, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, and Davao Occidental Governor Claude Bautista, among others.

In the explanatory note of the joint resolution dated May 5, the RDC and RPOC said: “It was pointed out that, based on intelligence reports, officials of the National government have been linked to the Lapanday incidents.”

“It was in fact suggested that the GRP Peace Panel recommend to the Office of the President to exclude these officials, particularly the Secretary of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), from representing the government in the peace panel as they are reported to have direct participation in planning of the Lapanday incidents, thus, have betrayed the trust of the Office of the President,” the note read.

The RDC and RPOC pointed out that despite the ongoing peace talks of the government with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), the political arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), the NPA still attacked three business establishments and Task Force Davao (TFD) in April.

The said “hostile acts” resulted in the burning of two trucks of the Macondray Plastic Factory in Panabo City in Davao del Norte, burning of the Lapanday box plant in Baranday Mandug, Davao City, burning of the house and vehicles of the Lorenzo family at Barangay Pangyan, Davao City, and an IED attack against TFD that conducted clearing operations in Davao City while on their way to respond to the burning of the Lapanday plant.

The attacks, it said, also led to the death of one civilian and about P2 billion damage in property.

The resolution said Mariano was involved in the "planning of the CPP-NPA-NDF attacks" on the Lapanday plant and residence of the Lorenzo family.

‘Baseless, unfounded, malicious’

Mariano called the allegations against him as “baseless, unfounded, and malicious.”

“I categorically deny my involvement and participation, directly or indirectly whatsoever diyan sa allegations na ako ay kasama, may partisipasyon or pagkakasangkot sa pagplano at insidente sa Lapanday,” he told the CA.

Mariano said he was never given an opportunity by the RDC and RPOC to answer the allegations against him, even by Lorenzana, whom he sees during Cabinet meetings.

Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said Mariano did not simply review the documents provided to him. He said the resolution was attached to the documents given to him by the CA.

San Juan City Rep. Ronaldo Zamora, vice chairman of the CA, added that Mariano’s office had actually replied to the allegations against him when it received a copy of the document.

Zamora read Mariano’s reply wherein he said that the RDC and RPOC failed to state “specific acts allegedly committed.”

“They could not even state the date, time and place of such meeting because there was none. Iyun ang sagot ni Secretary Mariano,” Zamora said.

In his preliminary remarks, Mariano vowed to serve as DAR secretary “within the bounds of the law.”

“Hindi tayo nag-e-endorso at sumusuporta sa mga iligal na mga gawain sa labas ng mga balangkas or [outside] the bounds of the law,” he said. — RSJ, GMA News