THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) on Wednesday reminded its field officials to guard themselves against the fabrication and distribution of fake agrarian reform beneficiary identification cards (ARB IDs) and quarantine accreditation passes.
“Vigilance must always be observed in preventing the existence of fake ARB IDs, the issuance and distribution of which are based on Memorandum Circulars (MCs) No. 4, and No. 9, Series of 2020, and bogus QAPs, the issuance of which are based on MC No. 5 Series of 2020,” DAR Legal Affairs Office Undersecretary Luis Meinrado Pangulayan said in a press release.
The ARB IDs were issued by the DAR for the purpose of facilitating the access of the ARBs of the various government aid, especially during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
DAR quarantine accreditation passes (QAPs), on the other hand, are issued to enable ARBs to continue supplying agricultural products to critical areas affected by the ECQ.
Pangulayan said all DAR officials and personnel must guarantee that the ARB IDs and the QAPs are only used by authentic ARBs, ARB organizations, agrarian reform communities, and the agrarian reform cooperatives.
“The DAR field officials and personnel must ensure that under no circumstance will the ARB IDs and the QAPs be used for profit or gain by any person or group of persons who are not in the standing of beneficiaries under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP),” he added.
The ARB IDs are issued only to qualified ARBs for the purpose of ensuring that they will be receiving the benefits under the social amelioration programs of the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Labor and Employment, and the concerned local government units. If an ARB is not qualified to receive any benefit from the said agencies, the DAR shall ensure that the said ARB shall be provided social amelioration benefits by the DAR.
Pangulayan reiterated that all DAR regional directors and provincial agrarian reform program officers II should implement necessary measures to prevent the illegal fabrication, distribution, or use of any fake ARB IDs or QAPs.
“Any person responsible for any act or omission which could result to such illegal practices incurs criminal liability under Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code (Estafa or Swindling). Criminal liability may also be based on Section 9 of Republic Act (RA) 11332 (Law of Reporting of Communicable Diseases) for “Non-Cooperation.” Penal sanctions may also be imposed for the commission of acts punishable under Section 6 of R.A. No. 11469 (Bayanihan Act) for violation of the quarantine measures, Pangulayan said. (PR)