More Arroyo lands up for distribution

More than 250 hectares of agricultural lands in Negros Occidental owned by the family of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo are up for distribution in the next few months this year, the Department of Land Reform (DLR) said, bringing the total of Arroyo lands distributed to more than 1,200 hectares.

DLR Secretary Rene C. Villa said the 157-hectare Hacienda Bacan is one of several properties that are now being processed for redistribution under the coverage of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

So far, some 870 hectares of land formerly owned by the Arroyos have been distributed to some 900 farmer-beneficiaries. These lands are spread over the towns of Binalbagan, Hinigaran and La Castellana in Negros Occidental.

Villa said there is no truth to accusations that DLR has not moved in covering and distributing lands in Negros, particularly those owned by the family of the First Gentleman. Negros is sometimes referred to as the last bastion of feudal landowners.

Villa said his office is just waiting for Arroyo to have the land title for Hacienda Bacan property annotated at the back and for him to sign a new voluntary offer to sell (VOS) application form or issue a special power of attorney, appointing his younger brother, Ignacio Jr., as his attorney-in-fact to give him power to sign and dispose the document in his behalf.

Record at DLR show that the so-called Arroyo lands have continously been awarded to beneficiaries since the late 80s.

Villa said the voluntary gesture on the part of the Arroyo family to have their property covered by land reform porgram is in line with President Arroyo’s recent directive to hasten the distribution of CARP. "We issue this statement not really to defend one family, but to correct malicious fabrications against the President."

The DLR secretary also said that, contrary to the claims in expensive newspaper ads by farmers, DLR continues to extend support services to the farmers in Negros. It also continues to install farmers in that province, the last one being on Dec. 13, 2004.