‘CARP a constitutional mandate’--lawyers’ group
By Abigail Kwok
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 19:14:00 06/13/2008
Filed Under: Agrarian Reform, Laws
MANILA, Philippines -- A lawyers’ group on Friday called the House of Representatives’ resolution extending the land acquisition and distribution (LAD) component of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) an “unnecessary” move because the program cannot be terminated until farmers own the land they till.
In a statement, Marlon Manuel of the Alternative Law Group said Joint Resolution No. 21 would only complicate matters because “could be exploited by unscrupulous land owners to hamper the implementation of the agrarian reform program.”
What is needed, he said, is a law that would provide additional funding for LAD since what is set to expire on December 31 is not the CARP component but the funding for it as mandated in Republic Act 8532.
The law provided an additional P50 billion fund for CARP and extended its implementation for another 10 years from 1998.
“Congress is unable to pass a law extending CARP to serve as legal basis to allocate and release funds for the program and it would significantly undermine DAR’s capability to implement the program. Much still needs to be accomplished under LAD with the distribution of 1.3 million hectares of land still to be completed,” said lawyer Magistrado Mendoza.
He added that CARP needs to be extended to maintain peace and development in the country.
“The task of Congress is to enact laws not to issue resolutions. It is their responsibility to allocate funds for the agrarian reform program of the country,” Mendoza said.
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