Camputhaw folk seek lot ownership

CEBU, Philippines — Some residents of Barangay Camputhaw in Cebu City are asking the court to clarify the status of their occupancy in a parcel of land covered by Presidential Proclamation Decree 375 of 1994.

The petitioners in the case for declaratory relief – 16 residents, as well as the Military and Civilian Residents Organization (MACRO) – are beneficiaries of the presidential proclamation and want to ensure that the title of the lot they are occupying can be transferred under their name.

Proclamation No. 375 signed by then President Fidel V. Ramos, reportedly made available a parcel of land that the government owned for disposition to actual occupants. The said parcel of land was covered by Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) No. 18727 in the name of the Republic of the Philippines located in Barangay Camputhaw.

They reportedly initiated the process of having the title of their respective lots transferred to their names by submitting documents to Cebu City and a list to the Department of Planning and Development of the City Zoning Board of Cebu City.

However, the transfer of the title to their individual names reportedly cannot proceed because there is no “enforcing agency that can effect the transfer.”

The Registrar of Deeds also cannot transfer the title in the absence of any document of conveyance from any government agency authorized to do same.

“Petitioners are apprehensive that their status as beneficiaries of the subject Presidential Proclamation will be disputed, and worse they may not be able to effect transfer of the property to the beneficial users thereof from the Republic of the Philippines due to some unclear provisions in the Presidential Proclamation No. 375,” their petition reads.

“Petitioners respectfully pray that the court rule on the effectivity or construction of Presidential Proclamation No. 375, the capacity of the petitioners to have the title of their respective lots transferred to their names, and the government agency that can effectively authorize such transfer to herein petitioners,” the petition reads further.

They named as respondents President Rodrigo Duterte, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, the Privatization and Management Office, and the Registrar of Deeds of Cebu City. 

They included the president as respondent as he is reportedly “duty-bound to implement Proclamation No, 375.”

They included Medialdea “being the alter ego of Duterte.” (FREEMAN)