Secretary John Castriciones of the Department of Agrarian Reform on Friday called on the media to report the anomalies they see in the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program implementation within their areas.
That could enable his department to correct the mistakes and castigate those violating the law, he said.
“We want you to become our partners in uplifting the lives of our farmers. It defeats the purpose of our mandate if anomalous activities such as the illegal conversion of land or other injustices to small farmers are being committed. Be our eyes and ears as we carry out our mandate of bringing social justice in the countryside,” he said.
His department could help the media personalities by asking the police forces to protect them if they were being harassed by the suspected perpetrators, he said.
“We have no police powers but we can ask the Philippine National Police to protect you. DAR personnel always experience harassment and even face legal suits filed by powerful landowners, but they still do their job to help the farmers despite the risk. I hope that you would do the same for our farmers,” he said.