Roxas votes YES on CARP

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas today voted in favor of the measure extending the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) by five more years, withstanding potential conflicts of interests with his and his family’s personal interests.

"I voted ‘YES’ not withstanding serious reservations relative to potential conflicts of interest. I, myself, am a landowner. I am a potential inheritor of lands. And my family also has lands. I have voted in favor of this measure on the premise that such a vote, indeed, does not benefit my interest and my family’s interest but benefits the interests of a greater number of our people, particularly the farmers and the farm workers," he said during Monday’s voting on the CARPer bill.

Roxas’ family is known to own hectares of lands in Roxas City and Negros province, the roots of the senator’s mother’s family.

He admitted his favorable vote could be "subject to attack relative to voting on a matter that benefits me" but insisted that, "I believe that the measure is overwhelmingly in favor of social justice, in favor of the farmers, and in favor of the farm workers."

"It is on that vein that I sought to overcome my own reservations relative to acting on a matter that may have potential conflict of interest and in this matter, have voted ‘yes’," he added.

Congress has been under pressure to approve the final version of the CARPer bill before sessions adjourn sine die on June 5 because the CARP coverage is set to expire on June 30. The House has yet to finish plenary debates on the measure.

Senators have made sure that rights of agrarian reform beneficiaries are not prejudiced and that provisions of the legislative proposal is not watered down.