Thursday, June 28, 2007 La Trinidad barangay chief faces raps for illegal sale of lot By Jane Cadalig
A BARANGAY chairman of La Trinidad is facing charges for allegedly engaging in an illegal transaction regarding the sale of parcel of land purchased by the barangay government.
Bineng Barangay Chairman Pendon Thompson was sued for dishonesty, oppression, abuse of authority and falsification for allegedly receiving payment for a lot bought by the barangay, and for not registering the transaction with the Register of Deeds Office.
The complainants disclosed that Thompson was not authorized to represent the barangay in the purchase of the lot, containing an area of 1,600 square meters, because he was a co-owner of the property bought.
The complainants, all officials of the same barangay, also said Thompson was the primary negotiator in the sale and has been receiving payments for the property from the barangay.
In their complaint, the officials questioned the alleged withdrawal by Thompson of the registration of the deed of sale between the barangay and Marvin Thompson, who represented the owners of the property.
The complainants alleged that Thompson withdrew the application for registration of the extra-judicial settlement and the deed of sale of the property.
The barangay council demanded that Thompson produce the documents that will prove that the property has been transferred to the barangay, but the accused failed to submit the requested documents.
Complainants further disclosed that Thompson cheated on the government by reducing the amount he declared in the payment of the property.
The barangay agreed to pay for the property in the amount of P960,000, but Thompson, in paying the taxes for the transfer with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), declared that the lot was bought for only P160,000.
They claimed that he paid taxes in the amount of only P27,649.69, when he should have reportedly paid P72,000. They said because of this misdeclaration, he was able to cheat the government of about P44,000 in taxes.
