To ensure that agrarian justice is dispensed in the countryside, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) recently resolved the decade issue on land ownership between two (2) contesting families at Brgy. Ilian, Matalam, Cotabato.

Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Rodolfo Alburo said the DAR visited the area because of the report reaching their office that the two families had been quarreling on the ownership and boundaries of the land that caused tensions and feuds in the area.

“The contested area was covered under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) in 2002 through the Voluntary Offer-to-Sell scheme. The conflict escalated when the family of Rodrigo Matiman, the land titleholder, who are absentees and not in actual occupation, came to claim the land while the family of Haron Dilangalen, the actual occupants, are persistently claiming the said piece of lands,” Alburo related.

He disclosed that the DAR conducted a relocation survey to the landholding situated at Barangay Ilian to determine the metes and bounds of the disputed lots measuring some 5.2084 hectares with technical description under Lot No. 4134, CSD 911.

"We are committed to settling their issue in the most diplomatic and peaceful way, thus we conducted mediation conference to settle the disputes between the claimants and the actual occupants," Alburo said.

The mediation team was headed by the DAR Provincial Office Legal Division Chief Atty. Rahyll Saga, Matalam DAR Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officers (MARPOs) Mary Joy Clarito, and Roberto Taberna with the joint intervention of the 90 Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army headed by 1Lt. Julius Gaite.

Saga divulged that with thorough analyses and considerations, and in order to pacify both parties through a win-win solution, the Matimans and Dilangalens have agreed to divide the land accordingly.

He elaborated that both families agreed, that Lot No. 4334-D measuring 1.3021 hectares will be given to the Matimans while three (3) hectares consisting of Lot Nos. 4134-A, 4134-B, and a portion of 4134-C will be given to the Dilangalens.

MARPO Clarito expressed her gratefulness to the people who had been instrumental in helping them settle the land ownership which includes, the barangay officials led by Chairman Cutin Idtug, the residents, and the involved families for their participation and cooperation.

“We also thank the DAR Cotabato Survey team for the successful relocation survey and remonumenting of the said lots,” she said.

Upang maseguro na ang hustisyang pang-agraryo ay ipinatutupad sa kanayunan, inayos kamakailan ng Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) ang may isang dekada ng pinagtatalunang lupa ng dalawang (2) pamilya sa Brgy. Ilian, Matalam, Cotabato.

Ayon kay Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Rodolfo Alburo binisita ng DAR ang lugar dahil sa nabalitaan ng kanilang tanggapan na may dalawang pamilya ang nagtatalo kung sino ang nagmamay-ari sa lupa at hangganan ng kanilang pag-aari,na naging dahilan ng tensyon at pag-aaway sa kanilang lugar.

“Ang pinagtatalunang lupa ay napasailalim sa Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) noong 2002 sa pamamagitan ng Voluntary Offer-to-Sell scheme. Nag-init ang usapin nang ang pamilya ni Rodrigo Matiman, ang may hawak ng titulo ng lupa, na hindi umookupa sa lupain at hindi aktwal na nagtatrabaho sa lupain, ay naghahabol sa lupain, samantalang ang mga aktwal na nagsasaka sa lupa na pamilya ni Haron Dilangalen ay nagpupumilit na sila ang may karapatan dito,” paglalahad ni Alburo.

Inihayag ni Alburo na nagsagawa ang DAR ng relocation survey sa lupain na matatagpuan sa Barangay Ilian upang alamin ang mga hangganan ng nasabing lupa kung saan may sukat itong 5.2084 ektrya at may teknikal deskripsyon sa ilalim ng Lot No. 4134, CSD 911.

"Kami ay nakatutok na ayusin ang kanilang mga problema sa pamamagitan ng madiplomasya at mapayapang paraan, kung kaya’t mayroon tayong mediation conference upang pag-usapan ang pagtatalo ng dalawang panig,” aniya.

Ang mediation team ay pinangungunahan nina DAR Provincial Office Legal Division Chief Atty. Rahyll Saga, Matalam DAR Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officers (MAROs) Mary Joy Clarito at Roberto Taberna kaagapay ang magkasanib na interbenyon ng 90 Infantry Battalion ng Philippine Army na pinamumunuan ni 1Lt. Julius Gaite.

Inilahad ni Saga na sa masusi nilang pag-aanalisa at konsiderasyon, at upang mapagbigyan ang dalawang panig sa pamamagitan ng win-win solution, sumang-ayon ang mga Matiman at Dilangalen na hatiin ang lupa.

Ipinaliwanag niya na pumapayag ang bawat panig na ang Lot No. 4334-D na may sukat na 1.3021 ektarya ay ibibigay sa pamilyang Matiman at ang tatlong (3) ektarya, Lot Nos. 4134-A, 4134-B, at bahagi ng porsyong 4134-C, ay ibibigay sa pamilyang Dilangalen.

Nagpasalamat naman si MARPO Clarito sa mga naging instrumento upang mabigyan ng solusyon ang problema kasama na rito ang mga opisyales ng barangay sa pamumuno ni Chairman Cutin Idtug, ang mga residente at mga kasangkot na pamilya, sa kanilang partisipasyon at kooperasyon.

“Nagpapasalamat din kami sa DAR Cotabato Survey team sa kanilang matagumpay na relocation survey at remonumenting sa mga nasabing lupain,” aniya.