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Friday, March 29, 2024

Bicam defers action on Agrarian chief

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THE Commission on Appointments on Wednesday deferred the confirmation of Agrarian Reform Secretary John Rualo Castriciones but unanimously approved the appointment of Ambassador Manuel Teehankee as the Philippines’ permanent representative to the World Trade Organization in Geneva.

Due to several other questions by members of the commission’s committee on agrarian reform led by Senator Grace Poe that are yet to be answered, the Senate panel opted to defer Castriciones’ confirmation after an executive session.

But Castriciones, a lawyer and a former undersecretary of the Interior department, said he remained hopeful of being confirmed by the bicameral body.

“If confirmed, I will do whatever is necessary to help our farmers,” Castriciones said. 

“We will continue to do our advocacy, our duties and functions.” 

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During the second hearing on Castriciones’ appointment, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri said the DAR had tried secretaries with different backgrounds.

He said the agency needed a capable lawyer and a legal luminary due to the various cases being filed against it, including those coming from landowners.

“What the department needs now is a capable lawyer who can help his people navigate all these legal impediments,” Zubiri said. 

He also reminded Castriciones that in case  he was confirmed, he should focus on the agrarian reform beneficiaries to help improve their lives.

Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano also confronted Castriciones with several issues, including if the DAR was still needed.

Castriciones responded by saying it still had 600,000 hectares of land to be distributed. He also said the agency’s mandate included support services to agrarian reform communities and beneficiaries.

He said as long as there was no law terminating the agency, he would continue doing his job. 

Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito then questioned Castriciones on his alleged involvement in the ouster of former Interior Secretary Ismael Sueño, but he denied having any hand on it. 

Castriciones, who was the national president of the Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte National Executive Coordinating Council during the 2016 elections, told the Senate panel that since he assumed his post, no more farmers had been holding protest rallies in front of the DAR office in Quezon City.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, a member of the committee, said they decided to postpone Castriciones’ confirmation as some members remained “not satisfied” with his answers.

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