MANILA, Philippines -- The Department of Justice (DOJ) has joined the appeal of officers and employees of the Land Registration Authority (LRA) and the registers of deed in Metro Manila cities for the recall Executive Order 690 transferring them tom the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

"This Department supports the appeal of the officers, employees and members of the LRA and the Register of Deeds of different cities in Metro Manila to President [Gloria Macapagal] Arroyo for the recall of EO 690 and that LRA should remain under the direct supervision of the DoJ," Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said in a recommendation to Arroyo.

The DoJ explained that the LRA performs a judicial function and issues decrees of registration and certificates of title, and registers documents, patents and other land transactions for the benefit of landowners, agrarian reform-beneficiaries and the registering public in general.

"It is through the agency's judicial proceedings that the propriety of titling is scrutinized and determined,” Gonzalez said. “The Supreme Court has recognized this function as judicial in nature and not an administrative one."

This is the reason why, Gonzalez said, the LRA administrator has the same qualifications and rank of an Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals; the deputy administrators have the same rank as Regional Trial Court judges; and registrars of deed should be members of the Bar who have engaged in the practice of law for at least five years.