MCWD may redeem properties

CEBU, Philippines -  The Cebu City Legal Office has no objection if Mayor Michael Rama will allow the Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) to redeem their properties in Barangay Buhisan which were already forfeited by the city government for non-payment of taxes.

City Legal Officer Joseph Bernaldez concurred with the findings and recommendations of lawyer Jerone Castillo who evaluated the legality of allowing the MCWD to redeem their forfeited properties.

The MCWD properties that are situated in Barangay Buhisan adjacent to its water dam were forfeited in favor of the city government after the water district failed to pay its real property taxes amounting to P69 million.

Even City Treasurer Emma Villarete is very much in favor of giving MCWD the chance to redeem its property because the city will also earn from the payment of delinquency tax.

Villarete even recommended to the City Council to grant an extension to redeem the properties forfeited by the city not only to MCWD but also to others similarly affected regardless of classification.

Records showed that aside from the MCWD properties, there were over 200 other real property units auctioned by the city last May 27, 2011, for non-payment of real property taxes.

The city lawyer said if the mayor will allow the MCWD to redeem their properties forfeited by the city, it is not the first time that the city allows delinquent property owners to redeem their foreclosed properties despite of the lapse of the one year redemption period.

He explained that allowing or prohibiting the recovery of foreclosed properties after the one year period is not provided under the Local Government Code.

 Both the city legal officer and treasurers said that once the property owners are allowed to redeem their forfeited properties, it is advantageous to Cebu City because the latter will gain from it.

“Likewise, the property owners may acquire once again the ownership and possession of their properties by which they have labored for so long. Why should we not allow these delinquent owners to redeem their properties if the same is beneficial to both the owners and the city?” Bernaldez said.  (FREEMAN)