DAR Stands Firm Amid Dinglasan Heir’s Legal Threat

By Felipe V. Celino

ROXAS CITY, Capiz – The Department of Agrarian Reform in Western Visayas (DAR-6) remains unfazed by legal threats from Eduardo Dinglasan, an heir claiming rights over properties subjected to the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) in Old Guia, Maayon, Capiz.

Lawyer Anthony Aristoque, DAR-6 assistant regional director, asserted that the department had already settled payments for the land with the late Francisco Dinglasan, the recognized owner, and distributed Certificates of Land Ownership Awards (CLOAs) to agrarian reform beneficiaries.

“As public officials, we are doing our jobs for the welfare and interest of the majority of the people,” said Aristoque, who previously served as Capiz’s Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer (PARO).

Eduardo Dinglasan has threatened to file complaints with the Ombudsman or the Senate if DAR fails to act on his claims. He told Daily Guardian that he possesses documents proving his status as an heir to the Dinglasan estate.

However, Capiz PAR Officer-in-Charge Alona D. Albances clarified that the properties in question belong to Francisco Dinglasan, not Olivia Dinglasan, as Eduardo claims. She added that Eduardo was not recognized as an heir to Francisco Dinglasan Inc.

Late last month, DAR held a significant event in Capiz, led by Senator Imee Marcos, to distribute land titles and Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (COCROM) to agrarian reform beneficiaries.

The event, attended by Capiz Governor Fredenil Castro, Maayon Mayor Reymond Malapajo, and other DAR officials, saw a total of 5,036 beneficiaries receiving land titles, covering 5,584.89 hectares.

Among the distributed titles were 7,455 COCROM, 66 regular land titles, and 441 E-Titles under DAR’s Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) Project.

During the event, 501 CLOA beneficiaries in Maayon town were awarded their titles.

Aristoque maintained that DAR acted within its mandate in processing and distributing the titles, reiterating that any legal disputes should be directed at appropriate parties, not the agency.

“We are committed to ensuring the rights of agrarian reform beneficiaries and maintaining transparency in our operations,” Aristoque said.