Manotok heirs warn against claims on 34-ha QC property

The Manotok heirs have issued a warning to prospective real estate buyers and land developers in Quezon City that a 34-hectare property bounded by Ayala Heights, Capitol Golf Club and Golf Hills Terraces is facing an ownership claim case with Homer Barque and his heirs.

The Manotok property, which is roughly valued at P1.8 billion, is the only remaining piece of raw land in the prime area where property prices are already fetching at P18,000 per square meter.

According to Rosita Go, one of the Manotok heirs and wife of banker Edward Go, the said property has been owned by the Manotok family since 1919 and that they have been paying all corresponding real and property taxes since 1933.

Members of the Manotok family have been living on the property since 1973 and have constructed 10 multi-level houses, roads, perimeter fences, guard houses, water lines, electricity and drainage.

The property was acquired by Teodoro and Severino Manotok on March 10, 1919 from Friar Lands Division, Bureau of Lands, DENR Lot 823, Piedad Estate and was covered by Sale Certificate 1054.

Since then, however, the title has been transferred to several Manotok heirs.

However, the ownership problem started in 1988 after the Quezon City Register of Deeds was razed to the ground. Although the Manotoks immediately applied for a reconstitution of their deeds on Aug. 31, 1988 and new titles were subsequently issued, Barque made a similar application for a reconstitution of title to the same property claiming that he had acquired the property from a certain Emiliano Setosta on Sept. 24, 1975.

No record of the Barque acquisition in the archives and RTC-Manila Notarial Section has been found though.

Nevertheless, the land dispute has been brought to the courts, reaching up to the Supreme Court.

Unfortunately, due to a series of questionable procedures and decisions, the Manotoks’ titles were invalidated and the Barque’s application for a reconstitution was supported by the SC.

The Manotok heirs, however, are launching a new attempt to disprove the Barque claim, hoping to be given a chance to present their pieces of evidence which were suspiciously denied by the courts, according to Go.

Go warns that the dispute is a clear land-grab and that potential buyers or land developers should not engage in any transaction on the disputed property.