Ombudsman drops plaint vs provincial agrarian officer

The Office of the Ombudsman- Visayas has dismissed the complaint filed against a provincial agrarian reform officer for lack of evidence.

Graft Investigation and Prosecution Officer Pio Dargantes said there was no evidence presented that would show Isagani Yee violated the anti- graft and corrupt practices act and committed neglect of duty on the processing and distribution of the landholdings.

The complaint was filed by Rogelio Librea, who said that despite the Supreme Court ( SC) decision directing the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to “expedite the land distribution of the land holdings covering the estate of the late Jose Climaco in Toledo City,” Yee “withheld and delayed the processing and distribution of the landholdings without justification.”

In his counter- affidavit, Yee denied the allegation and said he conducted a joint field investigation with farmers and landowners after the SC decision.

He said he discovered that issues concerning the operation land transfer coverage of the property were not yet completed.

Yee added that he even instructed the Agrarian Reform Officer Lourdes Archua to hasten the documentation and processing of distribution of the land to the beneficiaries.

He further said that their office conducted a land survey to “determine land use, segregation of coverage areas and identification of farmer-beneficiaries and a land use map over the property.”

Convinced of the arguments, Dargantes ruled in favor of Yee, saying Librea failed to present credible evidence.

“If indeed respondent caused the alleged delay in the distribution of the landholdings... the heirs of Jose Climaco, Sr. would have joined as complainants in the filing of this case,” read the Ombusdman resolution.— Mylen P. Manto/ RHM