Monday, December 10, 2007 Norte land scam dupes one more By Ben O. Tesiorna
THE persons behind a big-time land scam syndicate that has claimed ownership of the vast Davao Penal Colony (Dapecol) lands are still at it and are believed to have duped a prominent businessman who owns a vast banana plantation in Central Mindanao.
A title issued in 1997 for the lands identified to be in Davao del Norte was even presented by the syndicate.
Documents furnished to Sun.Star Davao showed that members of the syndicate had approached the businessman asking for his help in their claim over the 1,675-hectare Dapecol property.
The businessman, whose name Sun.Star Davao is withholding to protect his reputation, requested a meeting with another prominent businessman with business interests in the Davao Region.
Though not stating his exact reason for the request, the Central Mindanao businessman in his letter dated September 27 hinted that the matter he wanted to discuss is of utmost importance.
It was not known though if the meeting between the two prominent traders took place.
In another letter dated October 8, the same banana trader also wrote Davao Prison and Penal Farm (Dapecol) officer-in-charge Supt. Venancio Tesoro regarding the concerns of one Merlyn Domingo Ramirez.
The businessman stated his desire to discuss with Tesoro matters concerning the claim of the Domingo clan represented by Ramirez.
Davao del Norte in 1957
Ramirez has claimed to be the "absolute representative of the clan of the late Damian Domingo."
The Domingo clan is claiming ownership of 1,675.0025 hectares of land situated in "Sitio of Barrio/District of Tanglaw/Municipality of Sto. Tomas and Panabo in the Province of Davao del Norte."
In her letter dated October 5 addressed to Tesoro, Ramirez recounted how her grandfather, Damian Domingo, settled in Davao in 1937 and developed a land.
"Then in 1951, Antonio Floirendo Sr. also arrived, (and he and my grandfather) became good friends. In 1957, the year of his death, Domingo's claim to 1,675.0025 hectares was given due course via a survey for this purpose. Then in August 5, 1960, results were given to the Bureau of Lands and approved in November that year (Approved Plan Sgs 1296-D), was segregated in the name of Damian Domingo," Ramirez stated.
Ramirez also said in her letter their decision to seek the help of the banana magnate from Central Mindanao was influenced by "his reputation of being a peace and development advocate."
"(It) gives us comfort that he will handle this in a peaceful, consultative, considerate and win-win manner," Ramirez said.
The Domingo clan allegedly presented a survey plan from the Bureau of Lands dated April 18, 1957. What is surprising in the document though is that the surveyed land is said to be situated in "Sitio Barrio, Tanglaw District, Municipality/City of Sto. Tomas and Panabo, Province of Davao del Norte, Island of Mindanao."
A Dabawenyo trader who has some interest in the vast banana plantation in Davao del Norte however questioned the document, pointing out that when it was issued in April 1957, the Davao Region had not beenn divided into provinces yet. If the document is indeed genuine, it should have stated the area as just Davao Province and not Davao del Norte.
The Lands Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources also confirmed that "the land identified as Plan Sgs-1296-D, identical to Lot 6541, portion of Lot 2427, Cad-276, with an area of 12.7018 hectares, situated in Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte is covered by Free Patent No. 307505 issued on November 5, 1965 in favor of Federico Marquez by virtue of Free Patent Application No. 20-5477."
Latest reports reaching Sun.Star Davao showed that the banana magnate has stopped helping the Domingo clan after sensing the anomalies in the documents presented to him.
This is not the first time that moneyed individuals were duped by this alleged syndicate that's claiming ownership of the vast tract of land inside Dapecol.
A group also has reportedly attempted to offer the same land to a bank here in Davao City as collateral for a loan.
An official of a bank who requested that their identity be kept secret confirmed to Sun.Star Davao that a group tried to offer a 1,600-hectare land in Santo Tomas as collateral for a loan.
The official said the group however failed to file all the needed requirements so its loan application was rejected.
The official said that when they asked for a land title from the three, the suspects did not return to the bank.
"They did not have a land title yet. I remember the area is inside Dapecol and they have other documents supporting their claims. We asked for the title, they did not show up," said the bank official.
Atty. John Paul Devilleres, Davao del Norte Register of Deed chief, said the provincial office of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) had already identified the suspects in the land scam.
Devilleres revealed that the group had victimized at least eight persons.
He said each victims have shelled out at least P100,000.
Devilleres said the modus operandi of the said group is to present to its victims a title of a land located within the Davao Penal Colony.
The group will then convince their victims to become part owner of the land by giving contribution money.
"Yung ibang biktima sabihan nila na sila ang magiging beneficiaries once malagay na sa Carp (Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program) yung lupa," Devilleres said. (They tell some of the victims that they will become beneficiaries once the land is placed under Carp.)
He cautioned the public not to fall into such a trap, saying the Dapecol land is exempted from the Carp law because it has been declared a government land and no one has been given a title for ownership of the said land.
The Domingo Group reportedly duped as well officials of the DAR in Davao del Norte.
