By Roy Pelovello

SPECIAL panels from the two chambers of Congress will meet tomorrow to thresh out issues on a proposal to extend the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, even if there has been no clear commitment from the House of Representatives on reinstating the provision on compulsory land acquisition and distribution.

Speaker Prospero Nograles said that the House is committed to passing a bill extending CARP, but has yet to make a stand on the land acquisition.

?Yes, we will pass the CARP. We are trying to come up with a version acceptable to everybody,? said Nograles.

The meeting comes after Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile met with the Catholic bishops and promised congressional approval of the proposed agrarian program before lawmakers adjourn in June.

House Majority Leader Arthur Defensor will represent Nograles in the meeting with the senators. Members of the House panel include Deputy Speaker for Visayas Pablo Garcia, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros, Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Villafuerte and Apayao Rep. Elias Bulut.

Hontiveros earlier deplored what she said were ?mixed signals? the administration was sending with respect to the agrarian reform as she vowed to oppose any killer amendments that would remove the land acquisition component.

?You can be assured that Akbayan will push for the reinstatement of the land acquisition [component of CARP],? said Hontiveros.

?Any extension must be accompanied by a reinstatement of compulsory acquisition because any CARP without compulsory acquisition is a useless CARP,? she added.

Nograles said the meeting of lawmakers aims to beat the six-month deadline to pass a new CARP. Congress approved in December 2008 Joint Resolution 19 which extended the program only from January to June 2009.