DAR yet to uncover Batangas hacienda owner

Rice farmers in Batangas. Daniel Zuckerkandel / Shutterstock

MANILA – Despite the ongoing investigation conducted by the Department of Agrarian Reform, the owner of the Batangas farm allegedly owned by Vice President Jejomar Binay remains unknown.

Only the beneficiaries of lands distributed through the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform have names on the records of the department.

Names of the applicants with approved transfer clearances are also indicated in their list.

This means that they are yet to make a conclusion on the ownership of the Rosario farmland allegedly owned by Binay.

DAR said that they needed sufficient information to back whatever conclusion they will make.

“The documents in our possession right now do not conclusively show that he (Binay) owns the land. In fact, we cannot conclude yet who owns it,” de los Reyes said.

He also said that the investigation aims to come up with a decision on whether or not the activities conducted in the said farm violates agrarian reform laws.