Aquino to address Baguio land problem and charter

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – President vowed to address the city’s problems on land disposition and the approval of the amendment of the city charter, Mayor Mauricio Domogan said last week.

“The President assured that he will attend to the city’s concern on TSAs (Townsite Sales Applications) which I presumed he meant the lots at Forbes Park and Wright Park (which were issued Certificates of Ancestral Land Title) and the amendment of the city charter,” Domogan told a media briefing Tuesday on result of his talk with the President after the ceremonial lighting of Burnham Park last August 19.

“It is good that the President is aware of these concerns. I hope he will continue to be briefed on this problem, so that he can help us find solutions,” the mayor said.

The mayor said he was able to air the city’s concern on the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) to the President during their short talk.

“I asked him to remind the NCIP to strictly follow the provisions of Republic Act No. 8371 (Indigenous People’s Rights Act) in the issuance of CALTs because it will make a difference if the President could caution the NCIP to avoid problems like what happened to the Forbes Park and Wright Park,” the mayor said.

The city has pending petition through the Office of the Solicitor General with the Court of Appeals for the cancellation of the CALTs issued over parcels of land within the Forbes Park forest reservation and of titles covering prime pieces of property which were subdivided and eventually expanded by several hectares in Pacdal and Dontogan barangays.

The OSG has the sole authority to initiate proceedings for the cancellation of the spurious titles and it has committed to fast-track the reversion proceedings.

The OSG last February 25 filed before the Court of Appeals a petition
for the cancellation of the NCIP Resolution No. 048-2008 which served as basis in the issuance of O-CALT 26, 27, 28 and 29 in favor of the heirs of LauroCarantes over the Forbes Park lots.

The mayor also expressed hopes that the court will immediately act on the civil case filed by the city for injunction with prayer for the issuance of a temporary restraining order and writ of preliminary injunction to protect the city’s interest on the lots to enjoin the ROD from processing transactions involving the CALTs after its denial of the registration of the city’s adverse claim on the assailed NCIP titles.

The city is also seeking the cancellation of titles covered by expansion which as identified during the time of former mayor BraulioYaranon are: Original Certificate of Title No. -0-128 covering an area of 10,300 square meters which was resurveyed and subdivided and increased in area to 511,556 sq. m. or 51.1556 hectares located in Dontogan; TCT No. T-12826 covering an area of 501 sq. meters which was resurveyed and subdivided and increased in area to 155,795 sq. meters or 15.579 hectares in Pacdal; and TCT No. T-9463 covering an area of 1,000 sq. meters which was increased to 4,483 sq. meters.