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We, the Bishops of the Catholic Church, are one in opposing Joint Resolution No.19 that was approved by Congress. The resolution was crafted not to extend the implementation of CARP for another six (6) months but to kill agrarian reform.
Joint Resolution No. 19 mandated the removal of the compulsory acquisition mode of land distribution which is the heart and soul of the agrarian reform program. The resolution covers only private agricultural lands whose landowners have offered their lands under the Voluntary Offer to Sell (VOS) and under the Voluntary Land Transfer (VLT).
Joint Resolution No.19 must be stricken down. It is clearly unconstitutional since the Constitution mandates that the State shall undertake the just distribution of all agricultural lands. The said provision clearly commands the State to distribute and subject to agrarian reform all lands; not only those that will be covered under the voluntary schemes: Voluntarily Offer to Sell (VOS) and Voluntary Land Transfer (VLT).
Joint Resolution No.19 effectively cancels the distribution of 64 percent (64%) of new lands which are set to be covered by CARP as well as halts the distribution of all lands that are being processed for distribution under the compulsory acquisition mode. JR No.19 clearly discriminates against thousands of farmers who have currently pending application for coverage will not be acted on by government.
The resolution ends Land Acquisition and Distribution (LAD) under CARP as landowners are not expected to voluntarily offer their lands under CARP. These are mostly private agricultural lands owned by landowners who have been resisting the program for the past twenty (20) years. Landowners of landholdings currently under VOS and VLT are also expected to withdraw their application for VOS and VLT to altogether avoid CARP coverage.
The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) delivered the final blow on CARP by issuing the DAR Memorandum No. 09-01804. The memorandum is an operational directive that provides the guidelines in implementing the Joint Resolution No.19. However, it worsens the situation by ordering the deferment of the "processing of Compulsory Acquisition (CA) including landholdings already in the pipeline, and survey activities for lands under CA until further notice". Furthermore, the memorandum is prematurely
issued because JR No.19 has yet to be signed into law.
Joint Resolution No.19 and DAR Memorandum No. 09-01804 could spark chaos in the countryside as the agrarian reform beneficiaries and landowners are bound to fight head on over the issue. This early, the Joint Resolution No.19 and Memorandum 09-01804 are already being used by landowners to block the distribution of all agricultural
lands.
The Congress and the DAR subjected agrarian reform to the discretion of the landowners and removed the compulsion which is the essence of this social justice measure. Such act of emasculation committed by the Congress and DAR gauged against the relevant Constitutional provisions, amounts to a nullity.
We also call on the DAR to stick to its Constitutional mandate of continuing CARP until all agricultural lands are covered and scrap Memorandum 09-01804.
Finally, we call on the President to reiterate her support to CARP extension with reforms by re-issuing certification for HB 4077 and SB 2666 as urgent bills and by pro-actively campaigning for the immediate passage of the CARP extension with reforms law.
Signed:
MOST REV. ANTONIO J. LEDESMA, SJ, D.D., Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro
MOST REV. RAMON C. ARGUELLES, D.D., Archbishop of Lipa
MOST REV. PACIANO B. ANICETO, D.D., Archbishop of San Fernando, Pampanga
MOST REV. JOSE S. PALMA, D.D., Archbishop of Palo
MOST REV. BRODERICK S. PABILLO, D.D., Auxiliary Bishop of Manila
MOST REV. HONESTO F. ONGTIOCO, D.D., Bishop of Cubao
MOST REV. ANTONIO P. PALANG, SVD, D.D., Bishop of San Jose de Mindoro
MOST REV. ISABELO C. ABARQUEZ, D.D., Bishop of Calbayog
MOST REV. JOEL Z. BAYLON, D.D., Bishop of Masbate
MOST REV. LUCILO B. QUIAMBAO, D.D., Auxiliary Bishop of Legazpi
MOST REV. REYNALDO G. EVANGELISTA, D.D., Bishop of Boac
MOST REV. SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS, D.D., Bishop of Balanga
MOST REV. JOHN F. DU, D.D. Bishop of Dumaguete
MOST REV. VICENTE M. NAVARRA, D.D., Bishop of Bacolod
MOST REV. EMMANUEL C. TRANCE, D.D., Bishop of Catarman
MOST REV. DEOGRACIAS S. IÑIGUEZ, JR., D.D., Bishop of Kalookan
MOST REV. EDGARDO S. JUANICH, D.D., Vicar Apostolic of Taytay, Palawan
MOST REV. HONESTO C. PACANA, S.J., D.D., Bishop of Malaybalay, Bukidnon
MOST REV. PATRICIO H. ALO, D.D. Bishop of Mati, Davao Oriental
MOST REV. SOFRONIO A. BANCUD, SSS, D.D., Bishop of Cabanatuan
MOST REV. EMMANUEL T. CABAJAR, CSsR., D.D., Bishop of Pagadian
MOST REV. PRECIOSO D. CANTILLAS, SDB, D.D., Bishop of Maasin
MOST REV. CARLITO J. CENZON, CICM, D.D., Bishop of Baguio
MOST REV. FLORENTINO F. CINENSE, D.D., Bishop of Tarlac
MOST REV. LEO M. DRONA, SDB, D.D., Bishop of San Pablo
MOST REV. FRANCISCO M. DE LEON, D.D., Auxiliary Bishop of Antipolo
MOST REV. MANOLO A. DE LOS SANTOS, D.D., Bishop of Virac
MOST REV. LEOPOLDO C. JAUCIAN, SVD, DD., Bishop of Bangued
MOST REV. JACINTO A. JOSE, D.D., Bishop of Urdaneta
MOST REV. MARTIN S. JUMOAD, D.D., Bishop Prelate of Isabela, Basilan
MOST REV. ONESIMO C. GORDONCILLO D.D., Archbishop of Capiz
MOST REV. ANGELITO R. LAMPON, OMI, D.D., Vicar Apostolic of Jolo
MOST REV. ROBERTO C. MALLARI, D.D., Auxiliary Bishop of San Fernando, Pampanga
MOST REV. JOSE R. MANGUIRAN, D.D., Bishop of Dipolog
MOST REV. EMILIO Z. MARQUEZ, D.D., Bishop of Lucena
MOST REV. NICOLAS M. MONDEJAR, D.D., Bishop-Emeritus of San Carlos, Negros Occidental
MOST REV. NEREO P. ODCHIMAR, D.D., Bishop of Tandag
MOST REV. JOSE F. OLIVEROS, D.D., Bishop of Malolos
MOST REV. JESUS A. DOSADO, D.D., Bishop of Ozamis
MOST REV. GEORGE B. RIMANDO, D.D., Auxiliary Bishop of Davao
MOST REV. JOSE C. SORRA, D.D., Bishop-Emeritus of Legazpi
MOST REV. JOSE CORAZON T. TALA-OC, D.D., Bishop of Romblon
MOST REV. JULIUS S. TONEL, D.D., Bishop of Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay
MOST REV. SERGIO L. UTLEG, D.D., Bishop of Laoag
MOST REV. CRISPIN B. VARQUEZ, Bishop of Borongan, Eastern Samar
MOST REV. MYLO HUBERT C. VERGARA, D.D., Bishop of San Jose de Nueva Ecija
MOST REV. ARTURO M. BASTES, SVD, D.D., Bishop of Sorsogon
MOST REV. WARLITO I. CAJANDIG, D.D., Bishop of Calapan
MOST REV. GUILLERMO V. AFABLE, D.D., Bishop of Digos
MOST REV. RODOLFO F. BELTRAN, D.D., Vicar Apostolic of Bontoc-Lagawe
MOST REV. ELENITO DE LOS REYES GALIDO, D.D., Bishop of Iligan
MOST REV. FILOMENO G. BACTOL, D.D., Bishop of Naval
MOST REV. ARTEMIO L. RILLERA, SVD, D.D., Bishop of San Fernando La Union
MOST REV. LEANDRO Y. MEDROSO, D.D., JCD, Bishop of Tagbilaran
MOST REV. ROMULO G. VALLES, D.D., Bishop of Zamboanga
MOST REV. ROMULO T. DE LA CRUZ, D.D., Bishop of Kidapawan
MOST REV. DIMUALDO D. GUTIERREZ, D.D., BSE, MA, STD, Bishop of Marvel
MOST REV. RENATO P. MAYUGBA, D.D., Auxiliary Bishop of Lingayen, Dagupan
MOST REV. BANJAMIN J. ALMONEDA, D.D., Bishop Emeritus of Daet
MOST REV. IRENEO A. AMANTILLO, CSSR, D.D., Bishop Emeritus of Tandag
MOST REV. ANGEL T. HOBAYAN, D.D, DCJ, Bishop Emeritus of Catarman
MOST REV. JOSEPH NACUA, D.D., Bishop of Ilagan
MOST REV. PEDRO D. ARIGO, D.D., Vicariate of Puerto Princesa
MOST REV. BUENAVENTURA M. FAMADICO, D.D., Bishop of Gumaca
MOST REV. BERNARDINO C. CORTEZ, D.D., Auxiliary Bishop of Manila
MOST REV. RICARDO L. BACCAY, D.D., Bishop of Tuguegarao
MOST REV. PABLO VIRGILIO S. DAVID, D.D., Auxiliary Bishop of San Fernando, Pampanga
MOST REV. FRANCISCO C. SAN DIEGO, D.D., Bishop of Pasig
MOST REV. FRANCISCO F. CLAVER, D.D., Bishop Emeritus of Bontoc-Lagawe
MOST REV. ORLANDO B. QUEVEDO, OMI, D.D., Archbishop of Cotabato
MOST REV. LUIS ANTONIO G. TAGLE, D.D., STD, Bishop of Imus
MOST REV. JUAN DE DIOS M. PUEBLOS, D.D., Bishop of Butuan
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