BuCor moves to retrieve Davao Prison's land given to settlers in 2019
The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) has started moves to reclaim lands of the Davao Prison and Penal Farm (DPPF) in Davao del Norte that were distributed to settlers in 2019 under Executive Order (EO) No. 75.
EO 75, issued by then President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Feb. 15, 2019, directed “all departments, bureaus, offices and instrumentalities of government to identify lands owned by the government devoted to or suitable for agriculture for distribution to qualified beneficiaries.”
In a statement, BuCor said: “These areas are now occupied by settlers who are invoking the 2019 EO which mandates the second phase of land distribution to farmers, a move to prevent the DPPF from reclaiming the land that rightfully belongs to the government.”
It said “the bid to reclaim these areas is in accordance with the Section 6 on Land of the Bureau of Corrections under Republic Act No. 10575 or the Bureau of Corrections Act of 2013.”
Section 6 of RA 10575 states: “Aside from administrative purposes, all BuCor lands shall be used for inmate security, reformation programs and as a means to promote sustainability, both for income and non-income generating programs, with or without partnership among nongovernment organizations, civic organizations or other government entities.”
BuCor said that “Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang, Jr. gave a marching order to the DPPF Superintendent Rufino A. Martin to commence the retrieval of these areas.”
Pursuant to the directive of Catapang, BuCor said that Martin met with officials of the Davao del Norte Provincial Agrarian Reform Office last April.
“In turn, the Provincial Agrarian Reform Office promised to assist DPPF in its endeavor and advised CSupt. Martin to submit a letter pertaining to the cancellation of the issuance of Certificates of Land Ownership to beneficiaries under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) since these areas are not ceded to the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and still rightfully owned by the Davao Prison and Penal Farm by virtue of Proclamation 414 series of 1931,” it said.
BuCor neither disclosed in its statement how big is the DPPF landholding sought for retrieval nor the number of settlers currently occupying the landholding.