DAR exec sees delay in release of names of Hacienda Tinang land beneficiaries

The issuance of notice to qualified beneficiaries of Hacienda Tinang in Tarlac under the government's Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) will be delayed momentarily due to the case filed against the farmers, a Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) official said Tuesday.

DAR Undersecretary David Erro was referring to the incident where 83 people, including 13 farmers, were charged by state prosecutors of malicious mischief and illegal assembly in connection with their ceremonial cultivation of Hacienda Tinang land to mark the June 10 anniversary of CARP law's passage.

"Whether we will push through with the publication of notice of qualified beneficiaries, we don't know if it [will be] within this week or what. Supposedly, it should be this week, but because of the incident, magmi-meeting uli kami kung ano ang propriety nung pagpo-post namin kasi may ibang aggrieved party," Erro told GMA News Online.

(We still have to meet to determine if it would be proper to release the names of beneficiaries because there is an aggrieved party.)

Erro said a collective Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) has been issued to around 236 Tinang farmers way back in 1995, but the farmer-beneficiaries have yet to be awarded individual titles to this day.

"We will still have to identify the specific lot for each of them," Erro said.

Erro said that during his meeting with Tinang farmers last week, he warned them that such cultivation activity ahead of the issuance of notice of qualified beneficiaries could have legal consequences.

The DAR, Erro said, initially identified 93 qualified farmer-beneficiaries affiliated to the group that led the cultivation activity in Hacienda Tinang.

"Hindi ko masabi kung puwede ba o hindi magbungkal. Sabi ko premature iyang entry niyo diyan, baka magkaproblema tayo, pag-aralan niyong mabuti. Kasi baka there are legal repercussions with your actions," he said.

Erro said he was told that the area to be cultivated in Hacienda Tinang was a small area with no existing crop, but DAR's field report showed the area subjected to cultivation was four hectares and was planted with sugarcane.

Erro said the 13 farmers who participated in the cultivation activity won't be automatically disqualified from getting their land.

"We will not immediately disqualify them, we will afford them due process," he said.

The camp of 83 individuals charged earlier said they will seek dismissal of the charges filed against them for being baseless and mere suppression of their right to call for speedy distribution of the land. —KBK, GMA News