ZAMBOANGA CITY (PIA) – The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) intensifies its legal measures to prevent premature and illegal agricultural land conversions across the Zamboanga Peninsula.
Chairman of the Land Use Committee Atty. Marcelino Marata said DAR has issued cease and desist orders to stop the illegal conversations of agricultural land in the region.
“Naglalagay tayo ng mga signages sa mga areas na bawal talaga sa premature conversion. We have issued several cease and desist orders on premature illegal conversion activities across the Zamboanga Peninsula,” Atty. Marata said.
(We are placing signages in areas that are strictly prohibited from premature conversion. We have issued several cease and desist orders on premature illegal conversion activities across the Zamboanga Peninsula.)
Marata revealed that there are two (2) convicted violators and another two (2) filed cases in several courts across the region on premature illegal land conversion.
DAR emphasized that the agency does not have the authority to apprehend violators. However, under their mandate, the Municipal Agrarian Reform Office (MARO) shall determine the violators on the ground and report to the Provincial Agrarian Reform Office (PARO).
Upon investigation, the PARO will issue a show cause order to stop the premature illegal land conversion activity and eventually the case will build up to the regional office for the issuance of the cease and desist order by the regional director. If there will be a series of unlawful acts recorded, the case will be filed to the court through DAR.
Moreover, DAR aggressively and actively conducts symposiums concerning the laws on governing the premature and illegal agricultural-land conversion to raise awareness to the partner agencies, developers and potential applicants on observing the laws of agricultural-land conversion.
DAR’s measures against premature and illegal land conversion aims to protect agricultural land, preserve natural resources, uphold land use plans, support agrarian reform, regulate development for sustainability, and ensure legal compliance with existing laws and regulations.
“The President [Ferdinand Marcos Jr.] is hopeful that through the implementation of our programs, the food security and poverty issues in our country will be resolved,” DAR Regional Director Ramon Madroñal Jr. said. (MLE/CCP/KPC-GIP/PIA9-Zamboanga del Sur)
