Part of P98 million Naga property submerged?

CEBU, Philippines - The Provincial Board has directed the provincial attorney and the appraisal committee to appear in its session next week after the purchase of a P98 million property in Naga City by Capitol has reportedly aroused “opinions and observations.”

In a resolution, which the Board approved en masse, Board Member Victor Maambong said provincial lawyer Marino Mantiquilla must “verify and assay” whether portions of the Balili resort that the province had purchased are subject of existing reversion proceedings.

Environment lawyers had questioned the purchase of the Balili property, as 40 percent of the lot is reportedly already underwater.

Maambong, chairman of the committee on environment, said it is important to verify the information because if several portions of the lot had indeed been reverted to the state, the vendor, or the previous owner, must be made to reimburse the vendee, which is the provincial government.

Maambong said he endorsed the report of the appraisal committee on the purchase of the 25-hectare beach front property because he was convinced by the report. “I will not endorse it to the body if I don’t believe them,” he said.

For his part, Board Member Juan Bolo, chairman of the committee on real properties, said the purchase documents could be accessed through the Provincial Register of Deeds.

Bolo said he facilitated the passage of a resolution authorizing Governor Gwendolyn Garcia to acquire the Balili property because the purchase would reportedly help the transfer of title. Board Member Agnes Magpale also said she supported the resolution because there was a title presented.

But Maambong cited the case of Ledesma versus the City of Iloilo wherein the Supreme Court said the “simple possession of a certificate of title, under the Torrens System, does not make the possessor of true owner of all property described therein.”

The province plans to convert the property into an international port and an economic zone. — Garry B. Lao/JMO   (THE FREEMAN)