Farmers seek CARP’s implementation

MANILA, Philippines - A group of farmers trooped to the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) central office in Quezon City over the weekend to ask for the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

Farmer-leaders Danilo Cabungcal and Dominador Castillo sought the finality of decision on land ownerships.

DAR Secretary Virgilio delos Reyes and his chief of staff and legal affairs office head JV Lachica held a dialogue with the farmers.

Under Republic Act 6657 or the CARP Law, farmers who have cultivated a land will be given the right to own it and be issued a certificate land title.

They claimed that they have been tilling the land, reportedly owned by Augusto Salas Jr., for years.

In an order dated Sept. 19, 2006, the DAR ruled that the land forms part of the CARP.

The ruling was affirmed by the Department of Justice and upheld by the Court of Appeals on Oct. 26, 2009.

The former landowners filed a motion for reconsideration before the Supreme Court, which issued a temporary restraining order.