THE “ecosystem of corruption” and “oligarchy” that prevails in the government is well-embedded in the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), agrarian-reform groups said.

Agrarian-reform advocates belonging to the Pambansang Ugnayan ng mga Nagsasariling Lokal na Organisasyon sa Kanayunan (Unorka) said decisions emanating from Agrarian Secretary Nasser Pangandaman may have been influenced by the oligarchy’s business interests at the expense of the poor and landless farmers.

In a statement, Unorka said the revelation made by ZTE-NBN scam witness Rodolfo Noel “Jun” Lozada Jr. on Commission on Higher Education Secretary Romulo Neri’s “ecosystem of corruption” and “oligarchy” during the Senate hearing on Monday overwhelmed the farmers of the Yulo in Laguna and Saci who are on their 12th day of protest march to Metro Manila.

The farmers belonging to the Hacienda Yulo Farmers Alliance (HYFA) said the Yulo landholdings, which were supposed to be distributed to farmer beneficiaries, have been exempted by Pangandaman in favor of business tycoon Lucio Tan’s Eton City project.

Before their march which started on February 10, members of HYFA staged a rally denouncing the establishment of the 1,000-hectare Eton City in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Eton City is considered to be the “Makati of the South.”

Since December last year development of Eton City continues. Besides posh residences, golf course, commerce and resort-style recreation facilities are being eyed for development.

The exemption order has emboldened the landowners to forcibly eject more than 600 farmers from the Yulo estate.

Meanwhile, some 3,000 hectares of agricultural land owned by the influential Alcantara and Sons were likewise exempted from the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform, despite the Supreme Court’s final ruling that the area is “CARPable.” The exemption adversely affected more than 2,000 farmers.

Both Lucio Tan and the Alcantaras were allegedly identified by Neri as the powerful oligarchs behind Malacañang in describing the “ecosystem of corruption.”

Roly Petate, HYFA leader, said poor farmers like them are always at the losing end of every deal entered into by DAR officials with landlords. He said the DAR officials could play with the CARP’s provisions, in favor of the rich and influential.

Unorka is actively campaigning for the extension of CARP but maintains that DAR, being the lead implementing agency, should be reformed so that its mandate can be truly served.

Palace: Conditions not conducive for ‘Edsa’; police on normal alert

Malacañang said on Wednesday that present conditions in the country are not conducive to a successful people power bid, and again urged President Arroyo’s detractors to just wait for the next national polls in 2010 to change the leadership.

A senior Roman Catholic bishop is hoping that the February 29 interfaith prayer rally would lead to President Arroyo’s resignation as various groups come together in response to the clergy’s call for “communal action” and a “brand-new people power.”

DAVAO CITY—US Ambassador Kristie Kenney and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Chairman Murad Ebrahim had a historic meeting on Tuesday in the MILF camp in Maguindanao, but both sides declined to divulge the subject of their meeting.

THE Marilao-Meycauayan-Obando (MMO) River System—tagged recently as one of the world’s dirtiest—finally faces rehabilitation with the help of the environment department, local government units (LGUs), other concerned government agencies and private institutions.

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Jema’ah Islamiyah (JI) bomber Dulmatin, whose complete name is Amar Usmanan, spearheaded the abduction of a priest-director and a teacher of a Catholic-run secondary school last month in the province of Tawi-Tawi.

DAVAO CITY—The Indonesian vice consul said he would favor stationing Indonesian antiterrorist troops here to help clamp down on the suspected traffic of Indonesian terror suspects believed to be hiding or getting their training in Southern Philippines.

ZAMBOANGA CITY—The two-day Second Tripartite Meeting among the government, Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and Organization of Islamic Conference  ended with an agreement to formulate “possible proposals” to amend the law on Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to ensure the full implementation of the 1996 peace pact with MNLF.

THE “ecosystem of corruption” and “oligarchy” that prevails in the government is well-embedded in the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), agrarian-reform groups said.