ORMOC CITY- About 23 sugar farmers from this city were looking forward that after years of waiting, they could harvest sugarcanes this week.
However, the enthusiasm of the farmers of Barangay Sumangga turned into another nightmare as they were stopped by the previous owner of the lot.
The farmers received their CLOAs (certificate of land ownership awards) from the Department of Agrarian Reform in 1998, giving them legal rights of the 35 hectares of sugar field.
However, the Potenciano and Aniceta Larrazabal Enterprise Corporation (PALEC), the original owner of the property, questioned the distribution.
But last year, DAR was able to install the 23 farmers who formed a group, Sumangga Farmers Association (SUFA).
On Tuesday (March 28), the farmers were supposed to have their first harvest only to be frustrated anew as PALEC registered its opposition.
PALEC, as represented by its board member Geraldine Larrazabal, requested a court order from DAR and the 23 beneficiaries before the corporation allow them to proceed with the harvest.
But the DAR insisted that a court is unnecessary since the activity is part of the implementation of the Agrarian Reform Law and that the land legitimately belongs to the farmer beneficiaries.
Larrazabal insisted to postpone the harvest until April 4 so that the other PALEC board members can sit down for another dialogue with the beneficiaries and DAR to further discuss the issue.
Lawyer Rolly Peoro, legal officer of Kaisahan, a nongovernment organization assisting the farmer beneficiaries, said that the existing sugarcane already belongs to the CLOA holders since the crops were planted by PALEC in bad faith.
“The DAR rules are clear: crops that were introduced from the time of or after the former landowner’s receipt of the notice that the landholdings had already been effectively acquired by the state as evidence by certificate of deposit shall be considered as planting or sowing is done in bad faith by the former landowner,” he said.
With a heavy heart, the farmer beneficiaries signed a resolution and reluctantly agreed to wait for another week just to come up with a resolution and to avoid further conflict.
It was agreed upon that no harvesting activity shall begin before April 4, 2017, until the issue is settled between the ARBs and PALEC.
(JAZMIN BONIFACIO)
