Negros landholding of Mike Arroyo’s clan distributed this month

BACOLOD CITY — A landholding of the family of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo in the southern town of Binalbagan will be distributed to agrarian reform beneficiaries before the end of the month, Agrarian Reform Secretary Hernani Braganza said yesterday.

Braganza made the announcement amid accusations by the militant group Task Force Mapalad that President Arroyo has failed to implement the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) for their own landholdings.

Ignacio Arroyo, the First Gentleman’s brother, said his family has complied with their commitment to place their land in Negros Occidental under the CARP’s "voluntary offer to sell (VOS)" program.

Task Force Mapalad, in a statement, challenged the President to personally lead in installing the agrarian reform beneficiaries in her husband’s land to send a strong message to landowners resisting CARP that her administration has no "sacred cows" in implementing the program.

"We appeal to President Arroyo to personally install us in our lands the soonest possible time," the group said, quoting Salvador Gevero, 60, one of the 56 agrarian reform beneficiaries in the 97-hectare Hacienda Manolita.

"We have complied with the (VOS) requirements," said Ignacio Arroyo.

Hacienda Manolita, operated by the JMA-Manolita Agricultural Development Corp. in Barangay Payao, Binalbagan town, is a prime land, he said.

Also up for land distribution is a property of more than 100 hectares of Jose Arroyo in southern Negros Occidental, an aide of Braganza said.

"The agrarian reform process is ongoing. We just have to be patient as everything will fall into place eventually," Ignacio Arroyo said.