The Commission on Appointments yesterday deferred action on the nomination of Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael “Ka Paeng” Mariano after Senator Gringo Honasan moved to suspend the confirmation hearing in order to digest the issues hounding him.
“I speak for myself, I am going through an information overload, we have only tackled the first oppositor and we are bombarded by issues that are difficult to resolve unless we have the benefit of the time to process this information,” said Honasan in seeking to suspend the hearing.
Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, also the chairman of the Committee on Agrarian Reform, set the next CA hearing next week when they are expected to come out with a decision on Mariano’s appointment.
The nomination of Mariano, former Anakpawis Party-list representative and president of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, drew 19 endorsements and 10 oppositions. However, only oppositor Maria Teresa Gallego, who represented his father, Manuel Gallego Jr., was heard in the hearing.
The powerful congressiomal body had earlier rejected the appointment of Judy Taguiwalo as secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Like Taguiwalo, Mariano is identified with the Left.
Despite the rejection of Taguiwalo and the CA members saying links to the NPA cost her position, Mariano is not a member of CPP-NPA-NDF.
Mariano said he had explained the history of his involvement in the peasant movement from the start until he had become a member of the legal democratic organization as DAR secretary.
As alter-ego of the President, Mariano said he remains a consultant of the GRP panel particularly on the issue of social economic reforms.
In her opposition, Gallego said Mariano will be a “major obstacle” to President Rodrigo Duterte’s vision to develop the countryside. She related that on Oct. 1, 2016, more than 250 trespassers, armed with bolos, machetes and samurai swords, illegally entered their cattle ranch in Nueva Ecija. She recalled that the group was led by key leaders of over 250 men coming from three main groups, all of which were affiliated with the KMP.
Gallego said Mariano was “involved in inciting and supporting the illegal armed entry” as she noted that Mariano is the founding chairman of the KMP.
Becasue of the incident, she said investors pulled out of a contract that would have resulted in factories creating 10,000 jobs in a fifth-class community.
When questioned for any proof to support her claim that Mariano “inspired” the act, Gallego said it was just mere “hearsay” until Mariano met the leaders of the group at the DAR central office two weeks after the incident, or on Oct. 14.
Responding to the allegations, Mariano strongly denied he was in the said meeting. He also said he had no instruction to the men who entered the ranch.
He vowed to be “fair” in resolving disputes among farmers and land owners.
The DAR secretary added that he voluntarily quit the KMP in June 2016 before he assumed his post at the DAR.
Meanwhile, the CA on National Defense, chaired by Senator Panfilo Lacson, approved the nomination of four General/Flag and senior officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, namely Maj. General Arnel Duco, Brig. Gen. Fidel Ignacio Cruz Jr., Lt. Gen. Rafael Valencia and Maj. Gen. Casiano Monilla.