DILG Usec linked to Sueno ouster named DAR acting chief

John Castriciones PHOTO from his Facebook

President Rodrigo Duterte appointed on Friday a Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) undersecretary as the new Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) acting secretary.

DILG Undersecretary for Operations John Castriciones replaced former Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano, who was rejected by the powerful Commission on Appointments (CA) last September.

Castriciones, a lawyer, was reported to be on floating status since March, after being stripped off of his responsibilities by former Interior Secretary Mike Sueño. He was allegedly one of the three undersecretaries linked to Sueño’s ouster.

Castriciones would lead the DAR, the agency that implements the government’s controversial land distribution program.