Visaya who met with officials of the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation System (UPRIIS), headed by department manager Engr. Florentino David, said Duterte only asked him to solve the problems in irrigation systems.
“Do what is right and what is legal, yun lang,” Visaya said of Duterte’s marching order in putting him to the agency.
But he asked left-leaning organizations to cease from recruiting farmers as he believes “it is counter-productive.”
“Huwag naman kasi silang recruit nang recruit ng mga magiging NPA (New People’s Army) yung mga magsasaka,” Visaya said in an interview after a conference with officials of the NIA-UPRIIS here Wednesday.
He earlier inducted into office Engr. Ariel Domingo as the manager of the UPRIIS Division 3, replacing Engr. Joselito Mangunay who retires in May.
“Kasi kaawawa rin tayo e, ang laking epekto nito sa economy natin kung maiiwang nakatiwangwang ang mga sakahan,” Visaya said.
The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) in Central Luzon earlier aired objection to the appointment of Visaya to NIA, citing his alleged role in the killing of their leaders from 2005 to 2007.
Joseph Canlas, KMP chair in the region, has aired their plaint, highlighted by a protest action in front of the NIA central office, as soon as Visaya’s name was floated for the post.
Canlas said Visaya was instrumental in curtailing farmers’ pursuit of freedom during the stint controversial Gen. Jovito Palparan as commanding general of the Army’s 7th Infantry Division based in Fort Ramon Magsaysay in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija.
“This has deprived Visaya of any moral authority to lead an agency that primarily deals on agriculture,” Canlas said.
The group blamed Visaya for allegedly aiding Palparan in the death of at least eight peasant leaders they identified as Jhon Facunla Gado, of Guimba, Nueva Ecija; Perla Torno Rodriguez, of Mexico, Pampanga; Tirzo Cruz, a Hacienda Luisita worker; Ricardo Ramos, a farmer-leader in Hacienda Luisita; Federico de Leon, Bulacan coordinator of Anak Pawis; William Tadena, a parish priest in Pampanga; and Bishop Alberto Ravento, a pastor of Iglesia Filipina Independiente; and Francisco “Tatang” Rivera, of Angeles City, Pampanga.
Canlas also linked Visaya to the supposed abduction and torture of brothers Raymond and Reynaldo Manalo, the disappearance of University of the Philippines students Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan and the militarization of urban poor communities during then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s Oplan Bantay Laya.
“Dapat hindi sila matakot dahil andito ako para improve ang ating system, and irrigation system at talagang mapagsilbihan sila,” Visaya said, adding President Duterte has only one order to solve problems in the country’s irrigation system: “Do what is right and what is legal. Yun lang.”
NIA is under the office of the Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco.
