HOUSING and Land Use Regulatory Board Southern Mindanao Region (HLURB-SMR) reminds real estate property buyers to look for the sellers’ License to Sell issued by HLURB before they transact as the office had been receiving complaints of illegal property selling in the region.
In an interview with HLURB-SMR Regional Director lawyer Miguel Palma Gil, he said that with the current booming status of the real estate industry of Davao City, as well as the entire Davao region, there are also a number of cases wherein the buyers are deceived of the legitimacy of the purchase.
Palma Gil said in the region, most of the complainants are from Davao City and Samal City with purchases made from online and Facebook postings with land prices that are too cheap.
“To those who really want to invest, or buy a house, they should really look for the seller’s License to Sell issued by our office. We have come up with a lot of complaints already. Some of them had already been issued writ of execution but they managed to leave Davao City and continue their practice yet again in other cities in the region,” said Palma Gil.
According HLURB-SMR complaints were filed against a certain Dennis Llyod Astillo who sold residential subdivision houses in Brgy. Bangkas, Toril, Davao City. About 28 complainants filed complaints against Astillo.
The agency also said 16 complainants are currently after a certain Cindirella Ong after transacting with her for the purchase of subdivision projects in Brgy. Magtuod, Maa; Sitio Uyangureen, Brgy. Tigatto; and Biao, Tugbok District.
Still in some cases, buyers, including overseas Filipino workers, were able to buy properties from sellers who were not the actual owners of the land and would disappear after the payment had been received.
As per the data provided by HLURB, there are already 63 complaint cases filed to them with actions and issuances made since 2010 until the present. Palma Gil said most of these have their business permits already terminated.
“They have business permits but of a different business. Others have business permits for manpower. They should be providing manpower and not selling subdivision housing. They are circumventing the law with what they’re doing,” Palma Gil said.