Landowner presses claim over a portion of NSC lot

The private owner of a portion of land on which part of the National Steel Corp. (NSC) plant stands is appealing to President Arroyo to honor his ownership which has already been affirmed earlier by the Supreme Court.

Teofilo Cacho, through his legal counsel Donald V. Diaz, is bringing to President Arroyo’s attention the impending sale of his properties to the Ispat Group of India.

A letter, dated April 18, was sent to Malacañang with copies furnished to Trade and Industry Secretary Cesar V. Purisima, Board of Investments acting managing head Elmer Hernandez and SEC chairperson Lilia R. Bautista.

Ispat had won the right to rehabilitate the NSC plant located in Iligan City, Davao.

Cacho is complaining that NSC liquidator Danilo Concepcion continues to "misrepresent" ownership over the said properties.

Specifically, the portion of land involved is actually two parcels of land totaling 38.5 hectares.

The first parcel which occupies 3.4 hectares is where the NSC billet plant stands, while another parcel of about 13 hectares is where the Maria Cristina Fertilizer Corp. used to stand.

It is also where the two operating ports of NSC are located. Ownership of the 38.5 hectares by Cacho was affirmed by the Supreme Court March 3, 1997 and Cacho has been seeking since then back rental payments form NSC.

Cacho suspects that Concepcion is selling the said properties to the Ispat Group as part of the assets of NSC.

Cacho has been trying to verify his suspicion by asking for a copy of the liquidation plan for NSC.

Cacho and his lawyers insist that Concepcion has no authority over the two properties as NSC does not own the said lands and NSC has no titles to them.

Cacho and his lawyers further stressed in their letter to President Arroyo, that "Concepcion is not authorized by our client in any capacity, to involve said properties in any transaction whatsoever."