Eternal Gardens exec cries foul anew

The chairman and president of Eternal Gardens Memorial Park Corp., which had to pay twice for a portion of the memorial park in Quezon City, said yesterday the company is a victim once more in a land case instigated by Alfonso Enriquez, father of former actress Laarni Enriquez.

The dispute involves 1.3 hectares of the memorial park. Enriquez, invoking a supposed agreement with former owner Lilia Sevila, claims ownership of the land.

Eternal Gardens contends this agreement has expired.

Gabriel Vida, Eternal Gardens chairman and president, said the property was acquired in 1983 from Central Dyeing and Finishing Corporation and fully paid for.

It turned out, however, that the land was the subject of a lawsuit against Central Dyeing filed by Sevilla, whose claim was upheld by the Supreme Court. Eternal Gardens negotiated with Sevilla and paid for the property a second time "to buy peace of mind for the lot owners," Vida said.

"Now here comes Enriquez, demanding payment of P100,000 per lot from the lot owners who had fully paid Eternal Gardens," Vida said, adding that Enriquez had fenced off the area containing some 200 burial lots.

A case is pending at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court seeking to oust Enriquez, his structures and men from the property.