LRA cracks down on dubious Maysilo titles

Administrator Benedicto B. Ulep of the Land Registration Authority (LRA) has indefinitely placed Caloocan City Registrar of Deeds Regulo B. Coloma in the freezer for issuing a title to 10 alleged heirs of a deceased Spanish lady under a Maysilo Estate "mother title" earlier found to be "non-existent and a fabrication."

"In the interest of the service and effective immediately," Ulep directed Coloma to report for duty at the central office. He is expected to undergo an administrative investigation. Coloma was also reported to have issued another Maysilo Estate title supposedly as direct transfer from an OCT 994 registered on April 19, 1917. Designated acting registrar of deeds was Deputy Registrar of Deeds Joven A. Alegre.

Earlier LRA investigations found that the Spanish lady was still alive when the "heirs" applied for substitution of their names in her land title in 1961. One of the lady’s daughters was born ahead of her mother, while a son died when the lady was only four years old, according to the LRA report, citing the dates mentioned by the Pasig, Rizal court decision which approved the substitution petition.

The Coloma-issued title was supposed to be a direct transfer from Original Certificate of Title No. 994 registered on April 19, 1917 of the long defunct Maysilo Estate. But, in separate investigations, the Senate and the Department of Justice had found OCT 994 of April 19, 1917 with reference to Maysilo Estate as "non-existent and a fabrication" of the former registrar of deeds and deputy registrar. They were dismissed for maliciously, fraudulently and in bad faith issuing certifications or statements that OCT No. 994 was registered on April 19, 197 when they knew the correct date as May 3, 1917.

Both the Senate and DOJ reports concluded there is only one OCT 994 with reference to the Maysilo Estate on file at the LRA vaults and it is registered on May 3, 1917. The titles allegedly derived from OCT 994 registered April 19, 1917 are null and void for overlapping lands titled in the names of other several years ago.

Following the dismissal of Registrar of Deeds Yolanda Alfonso and Deputy Registrars Norberto Vasquez, both Coloma and Alegre were appointed to their positions.

LRA investigation a few years earlier had found that it was genetically and physically impossible for the supposed claimants to be the grandchild or heirs of Vidal. Thus, alleged daughter Epifania was born in 1838, or some 65 years ahead of her mother Vidal who was born in 1903, Severo Bartolome, the father of claimant Bartolome Rivera, and supposed son of Vidal, died in 1907 when his mother Vidal, was only four years old. The original court petition by the supposed heirs for substituting their names in the Vidal shares in OCT 994 in the Maysilo Estate protect the integrity and stability of the Torrens system." Ulep cited the DOJ investigation finding that "there is only one OCT No. 994 which was registered by the Rizal Register of Deeds on May 3, 1917 (and not on April 19, 1917)."

Despite the Ulep statement and the LRA circular, Coloma submitted on Oct. 14, 2002 a written manifestation before the Regional Trial Court in Caloocan City Branch 120, insisting that OCT 994 of April 19, 1917 is authentic in accordance with a Supreme Court decision in 1992. But on the basis of both the DOJ and Senate investigation reports submitted, respectively in 1997 and 1998, the only Maysilo OCT 994 on file at the LRA is dated May 3, 1917. Thus, even the Supreme Court was misled in its 1992 decision.