Delinquent taxpayers set to lose properties to city

More than three hectares of lands, whose owners continue to ignore their obligations to pay the real property taxes to the city for the past years, would be finally forfeited in favor of the Cebu City government.

City treasurer Tessie Camarillo informed the City Council yesterday that her office would finally issue the Bill of Sales for several lands of delinquent taxpayers.

Section 260 of the Local Government Code authorizes the local government units to sell the properties of the delinquent taxpayers to satisfy the tax delinquency and expenses of the sale.

The property owners have the right to redeem their properties that were sold in auction within a year from the date of the sale. But they should pay the two per cent interest per month on the purchase price.

The law provides that if during the bidding nobody is interested to buy the auctioned properties, the local government unit that conducted the public bidding is presumed to be the one to purchase the properties.

Since the owners of the properties have failed to redeem their properties within the one-year period, the city has the right to have the properties registered under its name, as stated in the law.

Among the lot properties to be foreclosed are those occupied by the Cebu Autobus in barangay Calamba, East Visayas Motors Inc. in barangay San Roque-Ciudad and the Citi-Center Commercial Complex.

The other properties that will be forfeited by the city are registered under the names of Corazon Vivar, Manuel Garcia, Francisco Peralta, Carmen Cuenco, Espiritu Bunagan, Leandra Alcantara, Simeon Andan, Ernesto Casicas, Dolores vda. De Alo, all of barangay Camputhaw; Panfilo Villarin, Remedios Galinzoga of Capitol Site; Martha Ancajas, Saya Ong of Lorega-San Miguel.

Teresita Cabalda, Luzviminda Cabalda, Felix Gochan & Sons Realty Corporation, all of Labangon; Jovencio Cabreros, Roberto Navaja of Basak-San Nicolas; Eduardo Bertulfo of Quiot, Francisco Abellana of Bulacao; Victoriano Labrada, Inayawan; Mateo Abellanosa of Pardo. –Rene U. Borromeo/LPM