Dedicated to the profession

Dare to face it

Journalist Bui Thanh, former Head of the Reader Relations and Documentation Department, recalled: “In July 2019, the department received many letters and petitions from citizens of Bo Trach district regarding land violations in Son Trach, Phuc Trach, Hoan Trach, Phu Trach, Nhan Trach… Recognizing this as a pressing issue of great public concern, I reported and sought guidance from the Editor-in-Chief, and simultaneously formed an investigation team consisting of experienced reporters from the Reader Relations and Documentation Department to conduct on-site investigations, verify information, and collect documents.”

The work

The work "Land Management: Faults at the Grassroots Level" by the team of reporters from the Reader Relations and Documentation Department won the B prize at the first Quang Binh Provincial Journalism Award on Party Building in 2019.

“During the verification process, we found that the reader's complaint was well-founded. Land violations occurred due to lax management, weaknesses, and a lack of responsibility in leadership, direction, and administration at all levels of Party committees and government. More seriously, even key officials and heads of departments in charge of land affairs abused their assigned duties and intentionally violated legal regulations for personal gain.”

“Once we had all the necessary documents and evidence, the Reader Relations and Documentation Department published a series of long-running articles: ‘Land Management: Errors at the Grassroots Level,’ ‘Land Cadastre Officials at the Commune and Ward Levels – Some ‘Little Gods’ at the Local Level’… which received overwhelming public support. Based on the issues raised by the press, the Party committees and government of Bo Trach district intervened, resolutely clarifying and strictly handling the collectives and individuals responsible for the violations,” journalist Bui Thanh shared.

Perseverance and determination

Amidst a series of land-related irregularities in Bo Trach district, Nguyen Ngoc Son, a land and construction official in Hoan Trach commune (now Hoan Lao town), was prosecuted for "Abusing his position and authority to appropriate property" and brought to trial by the People's Courts at all levels. Following the first-instance trial, reporter Duong Cong Hop from the Reader and Documentation Department, with his professional sensitivity, raised questions about the hidden aspects of the case related to Mr. Hoang Van Duc, former Chairman of the People's Committee of Hoan Trach commune.

Why did Son's actions of collecting large sums of money from the people over a period of 10 years (2006-2016) easily slip through the watchful eyes of the entire political and social system and its leaders? Was Son's violation orchestrated, covered up, or aided by anyone else?

With his wrongdoings, Mr. Hoang Van Duc (on the right), former Chairman of the People's Committee of Hoan Trach commune,

With his wrongdoings, Mr. Hoang Van Duc (on the right), former Chairman of the People's Committee of Hoan Trach commune, "cannot escape the consequences."

From here, under the direction of the Quang Binh Newspaper Editorial Board, the Reader Relations and Documentation Department quietly embarked on a new task, persistently collecting evidence and documents, coordinating with relevant agencies to determine whether Mr. Hoang Van Duc was guilty or not guilty. A long and arduous process, from 2016 to 2024, finally yielded results. After numerous court hearings, the High People's Court in Da Nang sentenced Nguyen Ngoc Son to 18 years in prison (Nguyen Ngoc Son was detained from April 21, 2016 to January 26, 2024, before being released on bail).

In July 2024, the Quang Binh Provincial People's Court held a trial for two defendants, Hoang Van Duc and Nguyen Ngoc Son, on charges of "Abusing their position and authority while performing official duties." The panel of judges affirmed that in this case, Hoang Van Duc was the mastermind and ringleader; Nguyen Ngoc Son was merely carrying out instructions from Hoang Van Duc. With irrefutable evidence, the Provincial People's Court sentenced Hoang Van Duc to 11 years in prison. Nguyen Ngoc Son's sentence was reduced to 7 years, 9 months, and 5 days, equivalent to the time he had already served, and he was released immediately at the court.

“For eight years, reporters from the Reader Relations and Documentation Department persistently and resolutely searched for and provided evidence of the criminal acts of former Chairman of the Hoan Trach Commune People's Committee, Hoang Van Duc, to the relevant authorities. Finally, justice has been served, and the guilty party has been held accountable under the law,” shared reporter Duong Cong Hop.

For the legitimate interests of the people.

In July 2024, Quang Binh Newspaper received a plea for help from Mr. Phan Van Cac (born in 1937), residing in Dong Son village, Son Loc commune (Bo Trach district), regarding a land dispute between him and his children and grandchildren. During the verification process, reporters from the Reader Relations and Documentation Department discovered that behind the letter lay a hidden aspect of a man's life, devoted to his children and grandchildren, yet his son, daughter-in-law, and grandson had tried every means to "transfer ownership" of the land that Mr. Cac and his wife had reclaimed since 1976... and even now, in his twilight years, he has still not been able to reclaim it.

“The stories we mentioned above are just a small part of hundreds of topics related to reader letters and petitions. During the investigation and verification process, reporters in the Reader and Documentation Department faced immense pressure, even threats to their health and lives. But we encouraged each other to persevere. We dared to be persistent, dared to face challenges, for the people, for justice… to always fulfill the tasks assigned by the Editorial Board,” journalist Bui Thanh further shared.

According to the documents collected by reporters, the reclaimed land area was registered under the name of Mr. Phan Van Cac with his son, Phan Van Hop, in 2006, after which Hop registered the land in his own name. After discovering the land title had been "swapped" to his son and daughter-in-law's names, Mr. Phan Van Cac instructed his son to correct the record. Mr. Phan Van Hop promised his father he would make the correction... however, he repeatedly delayed doing so. Instead, through "silent maneuvers" behind his parents' backs, Mr. Phan Van Hop continued to unilaterally transfer the land to his children and grandchildren.

In the application for the land ownership certificate (sổ đỏ) transferred from his father to him, Mr. Phan Văn Hợp stated that the land originated from his own reclamation and cultivation at the age of 10. Strangely, the members of the Sơn Lộc Commune Land Registration Council in 2006, including Mr. Hồ Quý Thảo, Chairman of the Commune People's Committee; Mr. Phan Trọng Quế, land cadastral officer; Mr. Phan Văn Thắng, judicial officer; and Mr. Võ Văn Thuyên, Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the commune, still endorsed the application as "eligible".

As the person directly handling Mr. Phan Van Cac's petition, reporter Ngo Thanh Long later wrote an article titled "The Pain from a Petition for Help," clearly analyzing the "absurdity" and the negligence and complicity of the Son Loc commune officials that caused Mr. Phan Van Cac to "lose his land and house" at an advanced age. "Mr. Phan Van Cac's land dispute is being handled by the People's Courts at all levels. Hopefully, justice will be restored to Mr. Phan Van Cac," reporter Ngo Thanh Long confided.

Ho An

Source: https://baoquangbinh.vn/xa-hoi/202506/dan-than-vi-nghe-2227151/