THE Department of Agrarian Reform has ordered the filing of a criminal suit against officials of the Aurora Pacific Economic Zones (Apeco) for the illegal conversion of a 2.5-hectare farm lot in Sitio Landing, Barangay Esteves, Casiguran, Aurora.
Secretary Rafael Mariano ordered the Region III officials and the department’s task force on illegal conversion to immediately identify those who may be held criminally liable for the unlawful land use conversion and to file cases against them.
In doing so, Mariano junked Apeco’s Dec. 14, 2015 plea and upheld the DAR regional office’s order not to change its land use without the department’s clearance.
The case arose from the March 9, 2013 complaint filed by Casiguran parish priest Jose Francisco Talaban and Vicente Convicto, accusing Apeco of illegal conversion when they used agricultural lands for a housing project and relocation program.
The complainants said the property was irrigated, considered prime agricultural land, and was part of an existing agrarian reform community.
Talaban said many residents relied on farming and fishing, and that Apeco was a threat to the province’s food security.
Apeco is a P1-billion economic zone project conceived by the Angara political dynasty in Aurora.
