Homeowners demand titles of GA housing units

MANILA, Philippines - About 1,400 members of Pag-IBIG Fund are demanding ownership of the housing units in the two projects of Globe Asiatique (GA) in Pampanga.

The group, led by Jose Quiambao Jr. and Rolando Santos, wants either the title of their units put under their names or the process of their housing loans for GA housing project in Mabalacat and Bacolor started.

In a letter, the group appealed to Pag-IBIG officials to comply with their obligations.

“As legitimate members of Pag-IBIG Fund, we are troubled by your continued disregard of the decisions of the courts,” the group said.

The homeowners said the agency’s approval of their housing loan applications and the housing units offered to them by the GA convinced them to acquire their dream homes in the two housing projects.

The homeowners said for the past years, the supposed double-sale of the housing units in Xevera projects “remains unproven as we have yet to see any actual claimants in all our respective abodes.”

“We would also like to reiterate that we are not ghost buyers. And such allegations have never been proven especially to thousands of affected Fund member-borrowers. Your claims that the reason why you are prosecuting the officers of GA is because you are protecting us – legitimate member-borrowers – have turned out as mere propaganda and political ploy,” the group said. 

The homeowners questioned why the titles of ownership of fully paid members were transferred under the name of Pag-IBIG, which they said compelled them to spend more money for a civil case against the housing agency.

“Whenever we follow up the release of our titles, your (Pag-IBIG’s) standard answer is that GA has already sold our units to another set of buyers and loaned to (Pag-IBIG), suggesting a double sale,” they said.

The Court of Appeals last year sustained a ruling issued by a Makati City court allowing the damage suit filed by GA against Pag-IBIG.

The CA rejected a petition filed by Pag-IBIG, seeking a reversal of the decision issued by Makati Judge Eugene Paras on Jan. 30, 2012.

Paras ruled that Pag-IBIG and its board of trustees breached the provisions of a memorandum of agreement and a funding commitment agreement it they signed with GA.