Gov’t eyes land owned by Chinese drug lords

This was the response he made to the queries of Reps. Romeo Acop (Antipolo), Dan Fernandez (Laguna) and Joseph Paduano (Abang-Lingkod party-list) when asked about the process, or at least how can the government go after these properties now owned by Chinese nationals.

- DELON PORCALLA

Elizalde told the panel, headed by Surigao del Norte second district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, that the LRA would endorse to the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) an adverse claim to be filed in court for the forfeiture of Willie Ong and associates’ properties.

If Ong and company managed to buy public lands, a reversion proceeding could be initiated by the LRA and the OSG, which will act as the counsel of the national government in the proceedings.

It is a manner through which the government seeks to revert land to the public domain and is the proper remedy when public land is fraudulently awarded and disposed of in favor of private individuals or corporations. Barbers stressed that the general public should be aware that these were questionable properties.

“These acquired properties are questionable. We also have to protect those to whom these properties were sold. We also want to know how were they (Chinese) able to buy these properties, how big are they? Were payments in cash? Through the banks? Or laundered money?” he asked.