Politics

?Farmer leaders from various parts of the country ?who are ?joining this year’s Lakbayan of National Minorities have expressed concern over the cases of extrajudicial killings that victimized their leaders and L?umad members in Mindanao.

To ensure the conviction of criminal offenders, prosecutors must no longer be “passive” but must be resourceful in gathering additional evidence other than what the law enforcers give them, a Department of Justice (DOJ) official said.

Presidential son, Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and brother-in-law lawyer Maneses Carpio denied claims that they are involved in a multi-billion illegal drug trade deal.

Agrarian reform beneficiaries in Tagum City, Davao del Norte province ?expressed ?fear that it will now be easy for a banana company to evict them from the disputed land after the powerful Commission on Appointments rejected the appointment of Rafael Mariano as the secretary of the Department of Agrarian Reform.

For ?progressive ?farmers ?organizations in the country, the rejection of Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano by the powerful Commission ?on Appointments ?only shows that the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte is leaning towards the landlords and big businesses that control vast tracts of lands for plantations.