Sell properties in Metro Manila, not those in Japan – Locsin

MANILA, Philippines — Instead of selling Philippine properties in Japan, five houses owned by the Social Security System (SSS) in exclusive Urdaneta Village in Makati City should instead be sold to raise funds for the veterans, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said.

In a Twitter post, he revealed that there are five empty houses in Urdaneta Village.

“Sell those instead of Japan though not to friends of SSS directors. That should raise whatever money for veterans is still inadequate after the sale of Fort Bonifacio whose proceeds disappeared,” the post read in part.

Locsin said on Tuesday he will never agree to the sale of Philippine properties in Japan.

“I will never agree to the sale of our properties in Japan for any reason. Sell the properties of the departments of budget, treasury, health above all for its lousy response to Covid,” Locsin tweeted.

“I don’t mean the secretaries. The properties are idle. Imagine selling our Japan properties to fund the programs of DOH? Rob PhilHealth some more instead. They’re good at that. Sell San Lazaro. Sell RITM,” he said.

Locsin revealed a “plot” to sell four Philippine properties in Japan, but he did not identify who is behind it.

According to a Supreme Court decision, the four are “properties and the capital goods and services procured from the Japanese government for national development projects are part of the indemnification to the Filipino people for their losses in life and property and their suffering during World War II.”

These are the 3,179-square-meter Philippine property on 306 Roppongi St. 5-Chome Minato-ku in Tokyo; the 2,489.96-sq.m. Nampeidai property at 11-24 Nampeidai-machi, Shibuya-ku also in Tokyo; the 764.72-sq.m. commercial property at 63 Naniwa-cho in Kobe; and the residential property at 1-980-2 Obanoyama-cho, Shinohara, Nada-ku, Kobe.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), according to Locsin, already sent to Congress its opposition to the sale.

Sought for comment, Malacañang spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said Locsin is entitled to his own opinion.

Roque maintained that the proposed sale of Philippine properties in Tokyo and Kobe needs the concurrence of President Duterte and Congress. – Christina Mendez