Government lawyer arrested by NBI

A lawyer of the Land Management Bureau found himself in hot water after he was arrested by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation yesterday morning for allegedly collecting P10,000 in exchange for the expeditious processing of a petition of annulment of land title.

Arrested in an entrapment operation at his office in Binondo, Manila, was Benjamin Asido, 58, Tondo resident and officer-in-charge of the Land Management Bureau’s Legal Division.

According to the NBI’s Anti-Graft Division, some residents of the Pangarap Village in Caloocan City claim ownership of the land they are now occupying. However, Carmel Farms Inc., a private corporation, also claimed ownership of the land.

Carmel Farms, Inc. the NBI said, won the legal battle with the residents and was awarded ownership of the land.

Last month, the residents sought the assistance of the Land Management Bureau and filed a petition for reversal and annulment of the land title issued to Carmel Farms Inc. The petition, the NBI said, was then forwarded to the Land Management Bureau’s Legal Division.

The NBI said that instead of assisting the complaining residents for free, Asido allegedly asked for P10,000. —Mike Frialde