Saturday, September 22, 2007 DAR 11 warns against fake farmland titles
THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)-Southern Mindanao warns the public to be extra cautious in purchasing farmlands covered by Certificate of Land Ownership Awards (Cloas) or Emancipation Patents (EPs).
They should check the validity of the certificates or patents with the DAR beforehand, said the DAR.
Davao City Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer Ernesto Tan issued the warning after DAR got hold of photocopies of seven Cloas that appeared to be fakes.
The titles were allegedly brought by a client who came to DAR to inquire and verify the status of the lands covered by the Cloas that his group intended to purchase.
A series of checks led to the discovery that the titles did not correspond with those in the DAR office that were duly issued and registered with the Register of Deeds.
Tan said DAR has already referred the fake titles to the Register of Deeds for appropriate action while enjoining the public to visit the DAR office first before entering into transactions involving lands covered by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program. (GLP)
