AGRARIAN REFORM

Land for the landless, a shibboleth the landed gentry doubtless has received
with much misgiving, if not resistance, even if only the number of agrarian suits
filed serves to be the norm. Through the years, this battle cry and root of
discord continues to reflect the seemingly ceaseless discourse on, and great
disparity in, the distribution of land among the people, dramatizing the
increasingly urgent demand of the dispossessed x x x for a plot of earth as their
place in the sun. (Justice Velasco Jr.)


Legal Resources:
a. The 1987 Philippine Constitition (Article XIII, Sections 4-8: | Read |
b. Republic Act No. 6657: Comprehensive Agrarain Reform Law of
1988
c. Republic Act No. 9700: CARP Extension With Reforms of 2009
(CARPER)
d. Republic Act No. 3844: Agricultural Land Reform Code (1963)
e. Presidential Decree No. 27: Tenant Emancipation Decree (1972)

Cases for Study:


Constitutionality of RA 6657:
a. Atlas Fertilizer Corp. versus Secretary of DAR, GR No. 93100, 19
June 1997
b. Confederation of Sugar Planters versus DAR, GR No. 169514, 30
Mar. 2007
c. Central Mindanao University versus Executive Secretary, GR No.
184869, 21 Sep. 2010
d. Association of Small Landowners versus Secretary of DAR, GR No.
78742, 14 July 1989
e. Rolando Sigre versus Court of Appeals, GR No. 109568, 08 Aug.
2002
f. Luz Farms versus Secretary of DAR, G.R. No. 86889, 04 Dec. 1990
CARP Coverage:
a. Agricultural Lands: Chamber of Real Estate versus Sec. of DAR, GR
No. 183409, 18 June 2010
b. Resettlement Lands : NHA versus DARAB and Mateo Villaruz, GR
No. 175200, 04 May 2010
c. Sugar Lands: Confederation of Sugar Planters versus DAR, GR No.
169514, 30 Mar. 2007
d. Livestock Farms: Luz Farms versus Secretary of DAR, G.R. No.
86889, 04 Dec. 1990
e. Livestock Farms: Milestone Farms versus Office of the
President, GR No. 182332, 23 Feb. 2011
f. Livestock Farms: Republic of the Phils. vs. Salvador Lopez, G.R. No.
178895, January 10, 2011
g. School Sites: Central Mindanao University versus DECS, GR No.
100091, 22 Oct. 1992
h. Watershed Areas: Sta. Rosa Realty Dev't. versus CA, GR No.
112526, 12 Oct. 2001
i. Homesteads: Florencia Paris vs. Dionesio Alfeche, G.R. No. 139083,
30 Aug. 2001
Identification of Beneficiaries:
a. Jurisdiction: Romanita Concha vs. Paulino Rubio, G.R. No. 162446 :
29 Mar. 2010

Valuation and Just Compensation:

The lofty effort of the Government to implement an effective agrarian reform
program has resulted in the massive distribution of huge tracks of land to
tenant farmers. But it divested many landowners of their property, and
although the Constitution assures them of just compensation its determination
may involve a tedious litigation in the end. More often, land appraisal becomes
a prolonged legal battle among the contending parties - the landowner, the
tenant and the Government. At times the confrontation is confounded by the
numerous laws on agrarian reform which although intended to ensure the
effective implementation of the program have only given rise to needless
confusion which we are called upon to resolve, as the case before us. (Bellosillo,
J., LBP vs. CA, GR No. G.R. No. 128557, 29 Dec.1999)


Cases:
a. Heirs of Tantoco vs. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 149621, 05 May
2006
b. Land Bank vs. Court of Appeals, GR No. G.R. No. 128557,
29 Dec.1999
c. Land Bank versus Heirs of Honorato de Leon, G.R. No. 164025, 08
May 2009
d. Land Bank versus Glenn Escandor, et al., G.R. No. 171685, 11 Oct.
2010

Miscellaneous:
a. Stock Distribution: Hacienda Luisita vs. Pres'l. Agrarian Reform
Council, GR No. 171101, 05 July 2011
b. DAR versus Cuenca, GR No. 154112, 23 Sep. 2004
c. Jurisdiction: Phil. Veterans Bank vs. CA, G.R. No. 132561, 30 June
2005
d. Tenancy: Leonardo Dalwampo vs. Quinocol Farmers, G.R. No.
160614, 25 April 2006
e. Jurisdiction/Agrarian Disputes: Del Monte ARB Coop. vs. Jesus
Sangunay, GR No. 180013, 31 Jan.2011
f. Agrarian Dispute: Zosimo Octavio vs. Enrico Perovano, G.R. No.
172400, 23 June 2009