Village chief denies harassing agrarian beneficiaries

By Felipe V. Celino

ROXAS CITY, Capiz— The village chief of Brgy. Culilang in President Roxas, Capiz and concurrent administrator of the Nemesio Tan Land Holdings denied allegations that he was behind the alleged harassment of two agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) of the Department of Agraian Reform at Sitio Montecarba in Brgy. Dulangan, Pilar town.

Punong Barangay Ferdinand Bacanto said that he has no knowledge of the alleged shooting incident that injured two persons recently as he is waiting for the results of the investigation conducted by the police.

Bacanto said they never bothered the ARBs inside the property since 2017.

“Indi man kita pwede maka-entra sina kay ako kag bisan ang mga tawo ko ang wala sang ihibalo sina sa nagakatabo sa ila dira sa sulod kay since 2017 nga naga-occupy sila sa lugar nga ina, wala sila dira ginatandug,” Bacanto said.

He believed that one of the beneficiaries might be behind the incident.

“Naga-insinuate sila sang hitabo to call up the attention sang gobyerno nga sila ‘ya ang naga-ubra sang gamo e,” he added.

Bacanto pointed out that the ARBs spread fake information in Brgy. San Esteban that they were being forced out of the landholding.

The village chief said that he received several threats that he would be killed if the beneficiaries were not installed in the property.

He assured that he will not harass the beneficiaries even as he challenged the ARBs to validate and investigate with proper authorities the alleged presence of private army and firearms in the area.

Bacanto said that he will respect whatever the final decision of the court is regarding the distribution of the properties

“Wala ako ya naga-against sa programa sang gobyerno. Ang ginapangayo lang naton diri nga ihatag sa mga benipisyaryo nga tama sa mga tauhan ni Tan kay amo na ang ginbilin niya, ang problema kay ang gin-install nila halos mga outsiders,” he added.

Meanwhile, Police Captain Rene Hare, Pilar Municipal Police Station chief, has yet to confirm the motive behind the shooting incident that injured Bernard Amistoso and Jose Billoned.

The two believed that the incident is regarding the recent distribution of the certificates of land ownership award (CLOA) by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to the ARBs.

Amistoso was hit on the left hand while Billoned was wounded on his abdomen.

The shooting incident happened when unidentified suspect threw a pineapple fruit at Amistoso’s house.

The shooting happened when he and Billoned went out to catch the perpetrator.