Baguio mayor opposes ruling, protests held: NCIP issues status quo order on Casa Vallejo

BAGUIO CITY – Residents here held protest rallies against the issuance of a writ of possession here over historical Casa Vallejo property by the regional Cordillera office of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples even as the NCIP en banc issued Tuesday a status quo order nullifying the order NCIP-Cordillera issued during the Christmas holiday.

Signed by Chairperson Leonor T. Oralde-Quintayo, the NCIP issued the “stand still” order addressed to Roebling Hotels Inc. represented by lawyer Rodolfo Valmoria Jr.; the heirs of Cosen Piraso and the Register of Deeds in Baguio City.

The order stated: “So as not to complicate the issues in the instant case, Supreme Court cases and the congressional inquiry, the parties herein, and all those acting under term, are hereby enjoined to maintain the status quo prior to the issuance of the aforementioned writ of possession in Regional Hearing Office Case No. 041-CAR-013, and to refrain from taking actions that would further exacerbate the present situation.”

The writ of possession of the property where Casa Vallejo stands was issued by lawyer Richard Cawas, NCIP – Cordillera hearing officer.

However, the NCIP en banc deemed it “prudent to refrain from taking further action that would be preemptive to these cases and or inquiry, particularly when it pertains to the Certificate of Ancestral Land Titles (CALTs) subject matter of these cases and or inquiry.”

National Resource Development Corporation (NRDC) president Felix Marinas delivered the en banc order to Casa Vallejo, where tenants of the facility were holding a sit down rally in anticipation of claimants’ serving of the eviction notice any time yesterday.

Marinas expressed gladness over the NCIP’s move in heeding the call of the people of Baguio who value the historical significance of Casa Vallejo.

The NRDC, which is under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), is authorized to manage the land where the facility has stood since the 1950s.

This, as Mayor Mauricio Domogan said the city government will not tolerate “questionable ancestral land claims” and not issue any permit for business applied for by the claimants of the property where Casa Vallejo now stands.

Domogan bared this following growing controversy between NCIP and other agencies of government, including the city government.

Like the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Domogan said the city government was also surprised at NCIP’s giving away of Casa Vallejo to CosenPiraso without the knowledge of the DENR’s National Resources Development Corp.

NRDC has direct management of the land where heritage area Casa Vallejo is located.

Domogan said he has ordered the city legal office to scrutinize the legality and validity of all ancestral land titles issued by the NCIP, especially those covering forest reservations and heritage areas – including The Mansion reservation – the Philippine President’s official residence in this summer capital.

The National Resources Development Corp. (NRDC), under the DENR, was taken by surprise when the regional NCIP issued writ of possession. In a press conference last week, DENR-NRDC Lawyer Felix Mariñas said they were surprised when NCIP issued the order in favor of Cosen Piraso.

The DENR had been managing the land and the building of Casa Vallejo since its turn over to the government prior to the 1950s. It is located on Upper Session Road, a prime property within the central business district, just beside a big mall, here.

Mariñas said the NCIP issued in December, 2010 an ancestral land title to the claimant which the DENR Central office through the Solicitor General’s (SolGen) Office contested. It, and other related land titles NCIP issued are subjects of a court case handled by the SolGen, and they are in constant coordination with the government’s law office.

Engineer Paquito Moreno, newly appointed DENR-Cordillera regional executive director, relayed that even DENR Secretary Ramon Paje was surprised at NCIP’s action.

Moreno said there are pending cases in court related to the numerous questionable issuances of NCIP covering Busol watershed, South Drive-John Hay reservation, Forbes Park, Botanical Garden, Wright Park, Mansion House, Baguio Dairy Farm, Casa Vallejo and others.

He said, “DENR, NCIP and the Department of Agrarian Reform have an agreement to first settle issues regarding land titles while the court settles the legal controversy.”

Lawyer Isagani Liporada of the City Legal Office said they continue to object to NCIP’s non-stop issuance of land titles over contentious areas including forest reservations and areas occupied by national line agencies.

He said the city will file a declaratory relief over the contentious areas which are questionable ancestral land claims.

Liporada said, the city government has already informed the Baguio-Boracay Task Force (BBTF) about the writ of possession.  BBTF is a technical working group (TWG) created by President Benigno Aquino III to look into NCIP’s titling of public lands and pine stands in favor of private persons – an effort to preserve Baguio and Boracay island.

It can be remembered that prior to the 100th anniversary of Baguio in 2009, Baguio asked DENR to preserve Casa Vallejo, being the only standing original structure within the government center. Casa Vallejo served as dormitory that housed employees of the Public Works Bureau after it was built in 1907. It underwent restoration as part of Baguio’s centennial celebration.