A joint orientation on Agrarian Reform for the Philippine National Police and the Municipal Agrarian Reform Officers of selected municipalities was conducted recently by DAR Central Office in coordination with the Provincial Office of Negros Oriental.
Topics discussed during the two-day activity were the Salient Points on Land Acquisition & Distribution Process, Agrarian Laws and Relevant Supreme Court issuances and decisions, Joint Memo Circular on DAR-Department of National Defense-PNP-Department of Interior & Local Government.
The objectives of the activity were 1) to have a common understanding of the different agrarian reform laws, issuances and Supreme Court decisions, 2) identify the important roles of both the DAR and PNP in the land acquisition and distribution process, 3) review the existing procedure on the provision of PNP/military assistance in the agrarian reform implementation activities and 4) prepare the DAR-PNP plan of operations on the given AR situation.
The orientation was also a preparation for enhancement of the existing joint memo circular with the inclusion of the Department of Justice as part of the signatories in the proposed guidelines.
Speakers and facilitators of the orientation were Atty. Aison Garcia of the Legal Affairs Office, Asst. Director James Ponce of the Special Concerns Office, Asst. Regional Director for Operations Atty. Johnson A. Sinco, Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer II Stephen M. Leonidas, PNP Provincial Director PS/Supt. Noli A. Romana, and PS/Supt. Danilo Pelisco, chief of the PNP Law Enforcement Division. Other PNP Officials present were PC/Insp. Rochel Ruma, PS/Supt. Erson Digal, P/Supt. Orlando Melchor , P/Supt . Carlos Lacuesta Jr. (PR)