DAR chief: Alleged link to NPA attack in Davao ‘baseless,’ ‘malicious’

Sec. Rafael Mariano. FILE PHOTO

Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano vehemently denied the allegations President Rodrigo Duterte’s senior security officials made that he was involved in the New People’s Army (NPA)’s attack on the banana company in Davao province last April.

“These allegations are baseless, unfounded at pwede maituring na (and can be considered) malicious allegations and accusations,” Mariano said on Wednesday.

The secretary faced the bicameral Commission on Appointments (CA) deliberating the confirmation of his ad interim appointment to the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). The CA is expected to vote on Wednesday.

“Wala pong katotohanan lahat ‘yon. Mainam sana bago nilabas ‘yong joint resolution binigyan ako pagakataon para mapaliwanag sa harap mismo ng mga myembro ng Regional Development Council ng Region 11,” he said.

(There is no truth to all of that. It would have been better if they gave me a chance to explain my side to the members of the Regional Development Council of Region 11 before they came up with the joint resolution.)

Citing “intelligence reports,” a joint resolution by the Regional Peace and Order Council of Southern Mindanao in May said “administration officials have been linked to the NPA attacks” in Lapanday, Davao City.

READ: DAR secretary linked to NPA attack on firm

The resolution particularly mentioned Mariano for having “direct participation in the planning of Lapanday incidents.”

“They have betrayed the trust of the Office of the President,” it said.

The resolution was signed by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gen. Eduardo Año, presidential daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, two other military officials, and four other local officials.

Mariano said members of the Regional Development Council should have given him a chance to confirm whether the intel reports were true before submitting the resolution to the CA.

“Kung totoo po na mayroon akong tuwirang involvement at participation dito sa alegasyon na kasama ako sa pagplano ng insidente na naganap sa Lapanday, sana sinampahan nila ako ng kaso para may formal na venue na makasagot ako,” he said.

(If it were true that I was directly involved in the planning of the attack on Lapanday, they should have filed a case against me so I would have had a venue to face them.)

Mariano also lamented that Lorenzana never discussed the NPA issue with him whenever they would see each other in Cabinet meetings and other engagements.

“Lalo sana kung ako man lang nakausap ni Defense Secretary Lorenzana kasi nagkikita naman kami sa mga nakaraang meetings ng Cabinet para nabigyan man lamang ako ng pagkakataon na marinig ng aking panig bago sila naglabas ng joint resolution na ang pinagbabatayan ng information ay based on intel report,” he said.

(I especially would have appreciated if Defense Secretary Lorenzana and I were able to talk because we would see each other during Cabinet meetings so I would have been given a chance to air my side before they came up with a joint resolution which was based on an intel report.)

“Lalong lalo na kay Defense Secretary kahapon, nagkasalubong pa kami dyan. Bati nya, (Yesterday and I bumped into him and he said) ‘Good luck, Secretary Ka Paeng.’ Sabi ko naman (and I said), ‘Thank you, Secretary Lorenzana,’ he added.

Both Lorenzana and Mariano were at the Senate on Tuesday to attend separate hearings. IDL