Farmers, agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) and residents of several villages from Haciendas Palico, Banilad, and Kaylaway in Nasugbu, Batangas trooped to the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) this morning to file a Motion to Revoke the Compromise Agreement entered into by DAMMBA-NFSW and KAMAHARI with the Roxas and Company Inc (RCI).

The said compromise agreement was based on DAR’s Consolidated Order No. 6 which granted a 50-50 land sharing arrangement between RCI and the ARBs.

The ARBs are demanding the DAR to revoke, nullify, and or set aside the Compromise Agreement. They are represented by their counsels from the Sentro Para na Tunay na Repormang Agraryo (SENTRA). Based on the petition, the Compromise Agreement, upon which the DAR’s Consolidated Order is based, is null and void Ab Initio or from the beginning because it is contrary to RA 6657 or the CARP. The Compromise Agreement and the Consolidated Order are prejudicial to the interest of the ARBs and would lead to their dislocation and displacement from the land.

The petition further stated that KAMAHARI and DAMMBA-NFSW led by Atty. Nitz Mahinay has no right and authority to surrender the rights of the ARBs. Lastly, the Compromise Agreement and Consolidated Order also directly defy orders of the Supreme Court and the mandate of the DAR.

DAR’s Consolidated Order dated December 29, 2023, which became final and executory on January 27, 2024, will transfer 2,941 hectares into one title and segregated the same into two equal shares in favor of the RCI. Both RCI and ARBs were apportioned 1,322 hectares to each party.

Petitioners are seeking the revocation of the Compromise Agreement and the Consolidated Order as they appeal to DAR to proceed with the acquisition proceedings over the 3 haciendas as directed by the Supreme Court, and hold in abeyance in the implementation of the Consolidated Order.

“The DAR is extremely at fault for irresponsibly brokering the Compromise Agreement between DAMMBA-KAMAHARI and RCI, and issuing the Consolidated Order which is wholly disadvantageous to the ARBs and residents. Trabaho ng tamad ang ginawa ng DAR na idineklarang tapos na ang sigalot sa lupa sa Hacienda Roxas habang libu-libong ARBs ang naninindigan sa kanilang karapatan sa lupa,” according to KMP Chairperson Danilo Ramos.

ARBs and CLOA holders may be relocated to a parcel of land in barangay Palico without electricity or potable water. They were not even consulted on how the land would be subdivided. Homes and properties of Nasugbu residents in the three haciendas are also threatened to be demolished to make way for RCI’s real estate development.

DAR and CARP’s epic failure

KMP said DAR and the Marcos Jr administration are highly accountable for numerous land ownership reversals and CLOA cancellations. DAR and Marcos Jr’s CLOA distribution blitz nationwide is nothing but mere propaganda.

In the case of Hacienda Roxas, DAR granted CLOAs to ARBs in 1988, as soon as the CARP was passed into law. DAR continued to cover the land, but its proper acquisition procedure was not followed. However, the farmers continued to live on and till the land. Due to issues concerning the mode of payment, the Supreme Court in 1999 ruled that DAR issued CLOAs without just compensation to the RCI and nullified the acquisition proceedings over the three haciendas. The case was remanded to DAR for proper acquisition proceedings, but the case did not move for decades.

ARBs and LGU vs. the RCI

The Nasugbu Municipal Council has earlier appealed to the national government to protect the interests of Nasugbu residents whose lands are threatened to be seized by RCI.

Over the decades, farmers and ARBs have been resisting the insidious efforts of the RCI to retake the Haciendas through various means such as CARP exemption, land conversion, and CLOA cancellations.

KMP said endless legal maneuvers abetted by DAR led to the repossession of the government-awarded lands to the RCI.

The RCI, formerly controlled by the Roxas-Elizalde clan, also owes billions in real property taxes to the local government and loans to various banks. RCI owns subsidiaries including Roxas Land, Roxaco Asia Hospitality Corp. and properties including Anya Hotel, Go Hotel, and Punta Fuego. RCI previously operated the 97-year-old Central Azucarera de Don Pedro sugar mill in Nasugbu, Batangas, which announced the closure of its business operations effective Feb. 28, 2024 and the termination of all its affected employees on March 29, 2024.

Also in March this year, businessman Leandro Leviste became the largest individual shareholder of RCI with shares equivalent to 7.55 percent of the company. ###

Farmers, agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) and residents of several villages from Haciendas Palico, Banilad, and Kaylaway in Nasugbu, Batangas trooped to the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) this morning to file a Motion to Revoke the Compromise Agreement entered into by DAMMBA-NFSW and KAMAHARI with the Roxas and Company Inc (RCI).

The said compromise agreement was based on DAR’s Consolidated Order No. 6 which granted a 50-50 land sharing arrangement between RCI and the ARBs.

The ARBs are demanding the DAR to revoke, nullify and or set aside the Compromise Agreement. They are represented by their counsels from the Sentro Para na Tunay na Repormang Agraryo (SENTRA). Based on the petition, the Compromise Agreement, upon which the DAR’s Consolidated Order is based, is null and void Ab Initio or from the beginning because it is contrary to RA 6657 or the CARP. The Compromise Agreement and the Consolidated Order are prejudicial to the interest of the ARBs and would lead to their dislocation and displacement from the land.

The petition further stated that KAMAHARI and DAMMBA-NFSW led by Atty. Nitz Mahinay have no right and authority to surrender the rights of the ARBs. Lastly, the Compromise Agreement and Consolidated Order also directly defies orders of the Supreme Court and the mandate of the DAR.

DAR’s Consolidated Order dated December 29, 2023, which became final and executory on January 27, 2024, will transfer 2,941 hectares into one title and segregated the same into two equal shares in favor of the RCI. Both the RCI and ARBs were apportioned 1,322 hectares to each party.

Petitioners are seeking the revocation of the Compromise Agreement and the Consolidated Order as they appeal to DAR to proceed with the acquisition proceedings over the 3 haciendas as directed by the Supreme Court, and hold in abeyance in the implementation of the Consolidated Order.

“The DAR is extremely at fault for irresponsibly brokering the Compromise Agreement between DAMMBA-KAMAHARI and RCI, and issuing the Consolidated Order which is wholly disadvantageous to the ARBs and residents. Trabaho ng tamad ang ginawa ng DAR na idineklarang tapos na ang sigalot sa lupa sa Hacienda Roxas habang libu-libong ARBs ang naninindigan sa kanilang karapatan sa lupa,” according to KMP Chairperson Danilo Ramos.

ARBs and CLOA holders may be relocated to a parcel of land on barangay Palico without electricity or potable water. They were not even even consulted on how the land will be subdivided. Homes and properties of Nasugbu residents in the three haciendas are also threatened to be demolished to make way for RCI’s real estate development.

DAR and CARP’s epic failure

KMP said DAR and the Marcos Jr administration are highly accountable for numerous land ownership reversals and CLOA cancellations. DAR and Marcos Jr’s CLOA distribution blitz nationwide are nothing but mere propaganda.

In the case of Hacienda Roxas, DAR granted CLOAs to ARBs in 1988, as soon as the CARP was passed into law. DAR continued to cover the land, but its proper procedure of acquisition was not followed. However, the farmers continued to live on and till the land. Due to issues concerning the mode of payment, the Supreme Court in 1999 ruled that DAR issued CLOAs without just compensation to the RCI and nullified the acquisition proceedings over the three haciendas. The said case was remanded to DAR for proper acquisition proceedings, but the case did not move for decades.

ARBs and LGU vs. the RCI

The Nasugbu Municipal Council earlier appealed to the national government to protect the interests of Nasugbu residents whose lands are threatened to be seized by RCI.

Over the decades, farmers and ARBs have been resisting the insidious efforts of the RCI to retake the Haciendas through various means such as CARP exemption, land conversion, and CLOA cancellations.

KMP said endless legal maneuvers abetted by DAR led to the repossession of the government-awarded lands to the RCI.

The RCI, formerly controlled by the Roxas-Elizalde clan, also owes billions in real property taxes to the local government and loans to various banks. RCI owns subsidiaries including Roxas Land, Roxaco Asia Hospitality Corp. and properties including Anya Hotel, Go Hotel, and Punta Fuego. RCI previously operated the 97-year-old Central Azucarera de Don Pedro sugar mill in Nasugbu, Batangas, which announced the closure of its business operations effective Feb. 28, 2024 and the termination of all its affected employees on March 29, 2024.

Also in March this year, businessman Leandro Leviste became the largest individual shareholder of RCI with shares equivalent to 7.55 percent of the company. ###