FARMERS URGE PGMA TO VETO JOINT RESOLUTION # 19; PUSH FOR CARP EXTENSION WITH REFORMS

Hunger for Land, Hunger for Justice

PRESS RELEASE
January 22, 2009
Pls. contact: Murin Velasco (09162461163)

FARMERS URGE PGMA TO VETO JOINT RESOLUTION # 19; PUSH FOR CARP EXTENSION WITH REFORMS

Farmers who are calling for the reform and extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) have expressed their concern on the fate of agrarian reform.

Today marks the end of the 30-day period wherein the president may sign into law or veto Joint Resolution # 19 (JR19) which was approved by both the House of Representatives and the Senate of last December.

Joint Resolution # 19 extends CARP for six months but without the compulsory acquisition (CA) scheme and only landholdings under the Voluntary Offer to Sell (VOS) and Voluntary Land Transfer (VLT) are to be processed.

Ka Jimmy Tadeo of PARAGOS-Pilipinas and Reform CARP Movement (RCM) criticized JR #19 as being deceptive.

He said that while Congress makes it appear that they have extended CARP for 6-months to give them more time to deliberate on a CARP extension law, the real intent and effect of JR #19 is to kill the agrarian reform program.

“ Kung sa loob ng dalawampung (20) taon ay nakalusot ang mga panginoong may-lupa sa CA, ngayon pa na tuluyan nang tinanggal ito sa Joint Resolution? Ang resulta nito ay naglalagablab na kanayunan…kamatayan sa aming mga magbubukid”

Tadeo said in a dialogue between the farmers, Catholic Bishops, DAR and the Office of the President.

Also in the said dialogue, Bishop Broderick Pabillo urged the President to veto JR19 as this is unlawful and contrary to DOJ opinion 009.

The prelate said that CARP is a continuing program mandated by the Constitution.

“This is not what the President really wants, earlier she certified urgent the CARPER bills in the Senate and Lower House, why come up with this Joint Resolution instead?” said Bishop Pabillo.

While DAR Secretary Nasser Pangandaman said that vetoing the JR19 will disrobe the Department of its authority to implement its programs as there will be no funds for the next six months, the farmers and the representatives of the religious groups argued that if the administration is really intent on implementing agrarian reform, the President can easily exercise her power to realign the budget for DAR to continue its mandate.
The farmers also criticized the national directive issued by DAR last January 12, 2009 following the provisions of JR #19. In the directive, DAR Secretary Nasser Pangandaman ordered the deferral of the processing of lands covered by compulsory acquisition including those landholdings which have already been worked on by DAR and already in the pipeline, and survey activities for lands under CA until further notice.

“The directive issued by DAR strengthens our suspicion that the Arroyo administration intends to kill CARP. The Arroyos in the House of Representatives issued the death sentence of CARP by orchestrating the passage of Joint Resolution #19, now the Department of Agrarian Reform has just issued the order of execution by issuing the directive suspending the coverage of lands under compulsory acquisition.”

Jose Rodito Angeles of Task Force Mapalad raised concern that land owners used this DAR directive to stop distribution of their land Negros.

Several other farmers present in the dialogue raised similar concerns of inaction to their cases and rapid land conversion.

Hence, the farmers urged DAR to firm up its stance, withdraw the national directive and perform its mandate under the Constitution.

Lastly, Bishop Pabillo called for all parties to unite and come up with strategies that will push for the passage of the CARP Extension with Reform bills.

“We are hopeful that the President will realize the importance of agrarian reform and will veto JR #19 and provide funds for the implementation of the land acquisition and distribution to dispel any doubt on the intent of her administration to pursue the implementation of CARP as mandated by the constitution. Ensuring the extension of the budget of CARP is a constitutional and moral obligation of this administration.”

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