The National Bureau of Investigation-Davao Region (NBI-Davao) said on Wednesday morning, October 25, 2023, that they are conducting a series of entrapment operations against around 10 real estate properties in Davao for their illegal operation by selling properties and subdivisions without legal documents from the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).
Speaking during the AFP-PNP Press Corps Southern Mindanao Press Conference, NBI-Davao spokesman Ely Leano revealed that these real estate companies are operating within Davao City and other neighboring cities.
However, they have yet to disclose the names of these firms to the public for seamless investigation and confidentiality purposes.
"Dili sa ta makahatag og names ani nila kay under entrapment operation gihapon ni sila and para dili pud sila ma-alarma. But majority of them kay naa sa Davao City. Maraming properties dito sa Davao nga naga-offer og cheap lots to the public without securing clearances from the [Department of] Human Settlements and Urban Development (We cannot give names because they are still under entrapment operation and so that they will not be alarmed. But the majority of them are in Davao City. There are many properties here in Davao that offer cheap lots to the public without securing clearances from the [Department of] Human Settlements and Urban Development),” the official said.
Leano also emphasized the importance of tracking the names of the people or employees behind the illegal firm since the Prosecutor's Office only allows cases that are well-evaluated and investigated by the NBI.
"When the case reached the Prosecutor's Office, nagkakaroon ng technicality. Kase ang gusto sa opisina, yung the one who evaluated the case, gusto nila na doon sa certificate issued by DHSUD, dapat nakalagay daw doon yung mga taong hinuhuli namin. Supposedly ang magiging evaluation ng prosecutor is to really have the word of NBI to sustain (the case) (When the case reached the Prosecutor's Office, there is a technicality. Because what the office wants, the one who evaluated the case, they want people indicted to be included in the certificate issued by DHSUD. Supposedly the evaluation of the prosecutor is to really have the word NBI to sustain [the case]),” he added.
It can be recalled that in May this year, NBI-Davao closed a Tagum-based firm for scamming 20 individuals with more than P40 million jointly. The investigation found out that the scammers would sell an area of 100 square meters for only P60,000 — an indicator of a fraudulent act for its extremely low price. DEF