DOJ opposes transfer of LRA to DENR

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Justice has recommended to Malacañang the recall of an executive order transferring the Land Registration Authority from the Justice department to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). In a four-page Indorsement addressed to the Office of the President, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said the Supreme Court recognizes the function of LRA as judicial in nature and not an administrative one. “It is through the agency's judicial proceedings that the propriety of titling is scrutinized and determined. The Supreme Court has recognized this function as judicial in nature and not an administrative one,” Gonzalez said. Among the tasks of the LRA is the issuance of decrees of registration and certificates of title and register documents, patents and other land transactions for the benefit of landowners, agrarian reform-beneficiaries and the registering public in general. Gonzalez said he supports the appeal made by the officers and employers of LRA and its Registry of Deeds offices in Metro Manila to revoke EO 690 and for them to return to the direct supervision of the DOJ. The DOJ chief also noted that the LRA's judicial function is evident in one of the mandated functions of the LRA administrators. Under Section 117 of Presidential Decree No. 1529 (Amending and Codifying The Laws Relative To Registration of Property and For Other Purposes) questions are elevated to LRA administrator by the RD who is in doubt with regard to the proper step to be taken or memorandum to be made in pursuance of any deed, mortgage or other instrument presented to him for registration, or where any party in interest does not agree with the action taken by the RD with reference to any such instrument. Gonzalez further said that during the past 105 years, LRA, under the supervision of the DOJ, has put up innovative measures to expedite land titling. Based on the records, LRA has generated revenue for the government from an income of P1.1 billion in 2001 to P3.1 billion in 2007. It has also increased its collection of revenues making it to be one of the top revenue earners from 2001 up to the present. “It cannot be denied that LRA has proven itself in the facilitation or a more efficient and effective registration of lands and has adopted corrective measures and programs geared toward the expeditious processing of decrees and certificates of titles,” he said. - GMANews.TV