CIPRIANO CENTENO, ET AL. VS.

IGNACIA CENTENO
G.R. NO. 140825 (OCTOBER 13, 2000)

FACTS:
The matter at hand is about retaining peaceful ownership of the premises and preventing the petitioners
from bothering her and interfering with her possession and enjoyment of it. It is only a continuation of
the respondent's complaint for cancellation of the Certificate of Land Transfer (CLT) filed against the
petitioners before the DARAB. The preceding case resulted in a ruling maintaining the respondent's right
to an award of the relevant landholdings under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law. The
petitioners filed a Petition for Review challenging the District Anti-Human Rights Abolition Board's
(DARAB) jurisdiction over the matter for retaining peaceful ownership of land belonging to an
agricultural group in Peshawar. The petitioners argue that there is no tenancy relationship between the
bar and the landowner, and therefore the matter does not fall under the jurisdiction of the DARAB.

ISSUE AND RULING:

If the DARAB has jurisdiction over the current matter for possession recovery.

The DAR has primary competence to assess and resolve agrarian reform issues under section 50
of R.A 6657 (the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of 1988). The DARAB has jurisdiction over all
matters relevant to the reform program's execution, including but not limited to disputes or occurrences
relating to that program. Petitioners are prevented from invoking the DARAB's jurisdiction in this
instance due to estoppel. Petitioners were present at all stages of the case, filing a counterclaim and
requesting affirmative relief in their response. This Court has determined that unopposed involvement
in administrative processes by parties is unlawful.