Ni Leonel M. Abasola

Sinuspinde kahapon ng Commission on Appointment (CA) ang pagdinig para kay Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary John Rualo Castriciones, dahil na rin sa pagkuwestiyon sa kanyang kakayahan na pamunuan ang kagawaran.

Kumpirmado naman ang appointment ni Commission on Audit (CoA) Commissioner Roland Pondoc.

Si Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin ang kumontra kay Castriciones, sinabing wala umano itong sapat na kakayahan upang pamunuan ang DAR.

“If you are a secretary, you should hit the ground running on day one. Without the necessary qualification, such appointee not be able to do so. There are farmer-beneficiaries who I have personally talked to have written the DAR secretary about the implementation of their certificates of land ownership [award] (CLOA) but no action has been taken,” ani Villarin.

Aniya, nasangkot din si Castriciones sa kontrobersiya noong undersecretary pa ito ng Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) at isa sa mga nag-akusa kay dating DILG Secretary Ismael Sueño ng kurapsiyon.

Iginiit naman ni Castriciones na pamilya ng mga magsasaka ang kanyang angkan sa Nueva Ecija, at marami rin siyang kasong hinawakan na may kaugnayan sa repormang agraryo.

“I belong to a family of farmers, in my practice as lawyer I have given advises to my province mates and my law students who are now lawyers and judges. I am qualified for the position as most of the functions in the department as secretary does not necessary need for you to be a farmer to understand. We have to dwell on matters that are legal in nature and that is probably the reason cases have filed up,” ani Castriciones.

Dahil dito, sinupinde ni Senator Grace Poe ang pagdinig at pinagsusumite si Castriciones ng mga hinawakan niyang kaso sa DA.