Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones on Thursday said operations of the Department of Agrarian Reform Adjudication Board remain suspended in areas still under "enhanced community quarantine because of high risk to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
In compliance with the second lockdown extension, Castriciones issued Memorandum Circular No. stating that "the office of the DAR Adjudication Board members and the regional and provincial adjudicators in the said areas shall continually be closed for the duration of the further extended ECQ until May 15, 2020."
The adjudicating offices in the provinces and cities deemed to have low to moderate risk to COVID-19 cases, as well as those outside the quarantined zones shall be of service in their new normal operation under the general community quarantine and in conformity with measures adopted by concerned local government units.
Castriciones said all mandatory mediation conferences and hearings that were scheduled between March 15 and May 15 by the DARAB in areas still under ECQ are "continually suspended and reset." The date is subject for further notice.
He said the reglamentary period for the filing of pleadings, motions, position and other relevant papers , as well as, for the rendition of judgment, motions and orders is reset anew, to run starting on May 18 based on the actual balance as of March 15.
The DARAB central office through its secretariat, shall start receiving transmittal of records on appeal on May 18.
Castriciones said in his circular that the sectorial deadline to resolve all pending 2019 received cases is rescheduled again, from June 1 to June 30.
"This means all adjudicators, including those in quarantined areas, will continue drafting decisions, resolutions and orders, be it at the office or at home," he said.