Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Conrado Estrella III is set to hire additional lawyers for the swift resolution of land dispute cases in the department.
The agency will recruit topnotch and competent lawyers, abolish vacant positions and create new positions for higher wages, he said.
“Currently, the DAR is experiencing a shortage of lawyers to review all agrarian disputes that are pending under the DAR adjudication board and agrarian law implementation,” he said.
From 1988 to June 2022, DARAB has received 640,807 caseloads, of which 638,445 have been adjudicated leaving a balance of 2,362 pending cases.
From 1993 to June 2022, DAR received 945,875 caseloads under the ALI cases, resolving 943,584 cases and leaving a balance of 2,291 pending cases.
Estrella, however, admitted that the agency may not still be able to achieve a zero backlog with the hiring of more lawyers but it is their commitment to provide a higher percentage of solving pending cases.
“It is very hard to hire competent and topnotch lawyers who can assist the DAR to resolve its pending cases. Our game plan is to do a scrap and build scheme. We will abolish vacant positions so that we can create positions to offer bigger salaries to the lawyers,” the Department of Agrarian Reform chief said.
The effort is part of the commitment of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to provide social justice and free the farmers from the bondage of the soil
Estrella, a former Abono party-list representative, vowed to implement the real mandate of the program — to provide social justice and free farmers from the bondage of the land as reiterated by the President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“The DAR will encourage more lawyers to join the team to help us review pending cases, conduct fast-tracking activities, and enhance its legal case monitoring system,” he said.
Estrella, a former Abono party-list representative, vowed to implement the real mandate of the program — to provide social justice and free farmers from the bondage of the land as reiterated by the President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“The DAR will encourage more lawyers to join the team to help us review pending cases, conduct fast-tracking activities, and enhance its legal case monitoring system,” he said.