Chavit firm insists it owns Payanig sa Pasig land

MANILA, Philippines - A private firm claiming to own the 18.5-hectare Payanig sa Pasig property said Monday that it possesses land titles proving its ownership.

Blemp Commercial, led by Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson, issued the statement following plans by the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) to sue Pasig City officials for issuing business permits and licenses to groups allegedly illegally occupying major portions of the property.

Blemp said its land titles under the name of the Mid-Pasig Land Development Corp. (MPLDC) are covered by duly notarized deeds of sale dated 1971 for two parcels of land, 16 hectares and 2.5 hectares, making up the Payanig sa Pasig property.

MPLDC shareholders, led by Marcos crony Jose Yao Campos, allegedly sold the property to Blemp Commercial owners Benedicto Parchamento and Estrelita Marinas. Singson said he has formed a joint venture with Parchamento and Marinas. The firm is reportedly collecting lease payments from various groups occupying sections of the property.  

“Thus, Mid-Pasig surrendered the original (transfer certificates of title) to Blemp Commercial immediately after the deeds of sale were executed and signed by all the directors and stockholders of Mid-Pasig,” Blemp said in its statement.

“In short and simple language, Blemp Commercial is the real owner of the Payanig sa Pasig property and not a delinquent lessee as claimed by the PCGG,” it added.  

Blemp said Parchamento’s possession of the land titles was the reason why MPLDC, when it was turned over to the PCGG in 1987, never surrendered any land title.

MPLDC was one of the subsidiary firms under the Independent Realty Corp. (IRC) Group of Companies, one of the many assets surrendered by Campos to the PCGG in 1987 under a compromise agreement.  

Blemp said the PCGG “caused the creation” of a reconstituted title to bolster its claim over the property, even if the firm has paid real estate taxes on the two parcels of land up to Dec. 31, 2012.

‘Incredible’

The PCGG brushed aside Blemp’s claim that Campos sold the property to Parchamento. The agency said Parchamento was still a minor  in 1971.

The PCGG also noted that Blemp, after being silent for almost 40 years, suddenly surfaced with their claim of ownership over the property only after Campos died and could not deny their claim.  

PCGG chairman Andres Bautista said the lawyers of IRC are preparing to file the appropriate charges against city officials, led by Mayor Robert Eusebio and business permits and licensing office chief Melanie de Mesa.

He said they seek to penalize the officials for their allegedly irregular issuance of business permits to groups either occupying portions of the property without paying rent to the IRC or claiming ownership over sections of the land, claimed by the government since 2009.