Palace revives review panel on ‘US property’

Malacañang has revived a negotiating panel to settle the ownership issue on the 10-hectare US diplomatic and consular area in Fort Bonifacio and the establishment of lease arrangements over the same property for US diplomatic and consular housing.

Under Memorandum Order 159 dated Jan. 28, the panel will be composed to an undersecretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs as chairman with the heads or representatives of the Office of the Executive Secretary, the Bases Conversion Development Authority and the Department of Justice as members.

The memo issued by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the panel was being reconstituted to protect the interest and the ownership of the Philippines of the consular area.

The negotiating panel was first created by Virtue of Memorandum Order No. 448 dated Oct. 9, 1997.

The panel was directed to observe the following guidelines:

• the land in question remains the public domain of the Republic of the Philippines, thus its ownership shall not be subject to negotiation;

• negotiations shall be limited to the terms and conditions of the development of the land with duration of the lease arrangements fixed at the shortest time possible; and

• arrangements should ensure the most productive use of the property.

The panel will have to submit its report and recommendation to Ermita’s office not later than 30 days from its reconstitution.