DAR Secretary Rafael Mariano said the department ordered the distribution of eight parcels of land, as petitioned by the Alyansa ng Manggagawang Bukid ng Asyenda Luisita (Ambala), an organization of farmworkers in the sugar estate, asserting their right to the property as farmer-beneficiaries under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

The 358-hectare land was not part of the Supreme Court decision issued in November 22, 2011, which ordered the distribution of 4,915 hectares of the Hacienda Luisita.

On December 17, 2013, the DAR provincial office in Tarlac issued a notice of coverage to Tadeco indicating the start of the process of coverage over the landholding, but Tadeco filed a protest against such coverage.

“The protest and supplemental protest filed by Tadeco for lack of merit are denied and the said property is covered under the CARP,” Mariano said. He also maintained the validity of the publication of notices of coverage over the eight parcels of land, which are owned and registered in the name of Tadeco.

The contested land is prime agricultural land, contrary to the claim of Tadeco that the land is no longer suitable for agriculture, Secretary Mariano said.

Mariano also directed the DAR provincial office in Tarlac to immediately proceed with and complete the land acquisition and distribution process over the subject properties in the light of the provisions of Section 30 of Republic Act 9700, the CARP with Extension Reforms (CARPER) Law, which states that landholdings with cases still pending on June 30, 2014, shall be allowed to proceed to finality and be executed even beyond such date.

He likewise directed the DAR regional office in Central Luzon to do all acts and things necessary, including securing assistance from appropriate law enforcement officials, to ensure that Tadeco complies with the order.

According to DAR Undersecretary for Field Operations Marcos Risonar Jr., it will take the department 195 days to complete the distribution of lands. “It will take us 195 days from the start of screening and identification of farmer-beneficiaries simultaneous with the conduct of the survey up to the registration with the registry of deeds,” Risonar said.

KMP hails decision

Kilusang Magbubukid sa Pilipinas (KMP) Chairman Joseph Canlas cited Secretary Mariano on the DAR decision to distribute the Tadeco property.

“The order to distribute the 358 hectares of Hacienda Luisita will serve as an added weapon for the farm workers against the Cojuangco family’s continuing scheme to evade land distribution,” Canlas said. He charged there had been a conscious move to exclude the 358-hectare Tadeco land in Barangays Balete and Cutcut inside Hacienda Luisita from the stock distribution option scheme in 1989 that covered only 4,915 hectares.

He said the 358-hectare Tadeco land was only covered by a notice of coverage (NOC) issued by the DAR in December, 2013. The Cojuangcos had said the lands are no longer suitable for agriculture.

The KMP recalled various cases of harassment and human rights abuses in the 358-hectare land since December, 2013, including the bulldozing of farmers’ crops, the filing of cases, and the arrest of farmers and their supporters, and illegal fencing. (With a report from Chito A. Chavez)

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Read more at http://www.mb.com.ph/dar-orders-distribution-to-farmers-of-358-hectare-land-in-hacienda-luisita/