The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) may tap police and military forces to ensure the safety of agrarian beneficiaries organizations who will soon be installed in the vast landholding formerly owned by Nemesio Tan in the towns of Pilar and President Roxas in Capiz.
The DAR in Western Visayas has recently conducted a joint conference on April 20, 2021 with Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to enact policies, plans, and programs for the upcoming installation.
It took the DAR a decade to resolve the land dispute between the farmers and the heirs of Nemesio Tan with the awarding of land titles to the 175 ARBs covering a total of 188.08 hectares of land.
To ensure the safety and protection of the DAR involved and ARBs to be installed in the contentious areas, the DAR deems it necessary to call in the local police and the army assigned in the area.
During the March 23, 2021 distribution of land titles to the ARBs, with no less than DAR Secretary John R. Castriciones gracing the event, DAR-Western Visayas Regional Director Sheila B. Enciso expressed her gratitude to the partner agencies for their support.
“The AFP and the PNP play vital roles in the implementation of Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program [CARP]. The DAR in Western Visayas has been facing challenges in the implementation of land reform, specifically with private contentious landholding, but through their help we can exercise harmonious installation of ARBs,” Enciso said.
Powerful landowners, she said, have the means to harass even DAR personnel and the ARBs to thwart CARP implementation.
Through the DAR’s strong partnership with the AFP and PNP, she said genuine implementation of the program is assured, eventually, helping lift the lives of the farmers.
Maj. Francis John Gabawa Operations Officer, 301st Infantry Brigade, on behalf of the Philippine Army, said that the agency is more than willing to support the department in the implementation of CARP as they are likewise implementing the government’s mission to improve the lives of its people.
During the meeting, Col. Julio T. Gustillo Jr., Provincial Director, Capiz Police Provincial Office (CPPO), discussed the plan for the peaceful installation ceremony assuring the participants of police protection and protecting the rights of the farmer-beneficiaries against harassment and abuse by unscrupulous individuals.
The ARBs have the right to take physical possession of the land awarded to them through a registered Certified Land Ownership Award as embodied under Republic Act (RA) 6675, as amended.
The DAR, in cooperation with AFP and PNP has a continuing responsibility to ensure the installation of ARBs to exercise their rights of ownership and possession of the lands awarded to them.
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