Courage slams confirmation of Castriciones as DAR chief

Labor coalition Confederation for Unity, Advancement and Recognition of Government Employees (Courage) slammed on Saturday the decision of the Commission of Appointment (CA) confirming the appointment of Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary John Rualo Castriciones.

Courage said the CA did not fully investigate the background of Castriciones before affirming his appointment as the new DAR secretary.

“Dismayado kami, to say the least, doon sa Commission on Appointments dahil hindi nito tinignan yung buong dahilan kung bakit hindi karapat-dapat si Castriciones sa DAR,” Ferdinand Gaite, national president of Courage, said during a news forum at UP Hotel.

Citing the Agrarian Reform Law, Gaite said that for an official to be appointed in the agrarian reform department, one must have at least five years of experience as an agrarian reform advocate or has been involved in agrarian reform work.

But Castriciones, according to Gaite, has no experience in being an agrarian reform advocate.

Gaite also revealed that Castriciones was involved in a hazing incident while a cadet at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA)

“Based doon sa lumabas na records, PMA pala ito (Castriciones) dati pero lumalabas hindi siya nakatapos sa PMA kasi na involve siya sa hazing ng isang cadet na anak ng isang heneral,” he said.

Gaite said a military court then ordered Castriciones to serve five years of labor as punishment in 1982.

But Gaite said, then President Corazon Aquino pardoned Castriciones even before he has even finished his five-year punishment, making the case invalid.

“Kaya nga tanong namin kung lumabas ba ito sa hearing ng commission on appointments hearing process, edi dapat inalam kung ano ba yung pardon — was it absolute o conditional?” Gaite said.

“Kasi kung conditional ito, hindi siya pwedeng i-appoint sa any elective or appointed position in the government.” he added.

Aside from this, Gaite said there was also the conflict of interest due to the pending land distribution case of the Hacienda Luisita.

“So baka may utang na loob pa yan sa pamilyang Aquino para yung problema regarding sa festering problem ng distribution of land, as ordered of the Supreme Court, na-inorder niya sa DAR ay wala pa rin,” Gaite said.

“So ibig sabihin, nangangamba kami sa maaring maganap o naganap na,” he added.

The appointment of Castriciones was made official on Tuesday with 13 votes from a CA panel. Only two members of the CA panel objected the confirmation of Castriciones.

READ: CA body confirms DAR Secretary Castriciones

Senator Grace Poe, who endorsed Castriciones and presided over the CA’s committee on agrarian reform, said the body would closely monitor Castriciones at the DAR. /muf

READ: Poe endorses DAR chief’s appointment, but vows to watch his next steps