ILOILO – The Department of Agrarian Reform – Iloilo Provincial Office has successfully “installed” 26 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in San Dionisio town.
The ARBs are set own a parcel of land from an around 51.8-hectare property located in barangays Bagacay, Cubay and Manduawak. The property was formerly owned by Carlos Lopez Jr.
Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Lucrecia S. Taberna led the installation on Dec. 10 in line with a writ of installation issued on Nov. 28 this year.
The writ was addressed to DARAB Sheriff Van Dexter Alegario. He was ordered to implement the writ and place the Certificate of Land Ownership Award holders in physical possession of their awarded land with the assistance, if necessary, of the Philippine National Police and/or Armed Forces of the Philippines, as provided for under Administrative Order No. 7 series of 2011 as amended and Joint DAR-DILG-DND Memorandum Circular No. 05 SERIES of 2002.
The implementation of the writ of installation is a sort of a Christmas gift (“Lupa sa Paskwa”) to the ARBs and their families who for the past 12 years were deprived of their rights to ownership, possession and management of the awarded lands because of threats, intimidation and harassment from the heirs of the former landowner and from other influential individuals and from other persons who are non-CLOA Holders, said Taberna.
San Dionisio mayor Larry Villanueva was very thankful that the ARBs were finally installed despite all the challenges and obstacles.
He said it was “a success story,” adding that the ARBs should be mindful of their obligations as the new landowners.
“The occasion is a clear manifestation of the political will of DAR to live up to its mandate to ensure that the ARBs are protected of their rights to ownership and possession. Also it conveys a strong notice to all landowners, lessees and others that they can never stop or obstruct DAR in their implementation of the program,” the agency said. (With DAR Region 6/PN)
