City Council grants final sale of levied property after owner fails to redeem

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council has allowed the City Treasurer’s Office to issue the final bill of sale to Joel Chan for the 13-hectare lot he bought four years ago from the city through public auction.

Councilor Edgardo Labella, chairman of the committee on laws, said the issuance of the final bill of sale to Chan is already valid because the previous owner of the property levied by the city government for non payment of real property taxes had failed to redeem it within the one- year redemption period.

City Hall records show that the property bought by Chan for P252,000 four years ago was previously owned by Cora Aguilar. The two parcels of land are located in Barangay Toong.

One lot has an area of 84,271 square meters while the other is 51,966 square meters. Both properties have been assessed by the City Hall at more than P1 million. It was Chan who put up the highest bid when the two properties were subjected into a public auction last January 31, 2007.

The law has empowered the local government units to sell the properties of delinquent taxpayers in order to satisfy the unpaid taxes, but the concerned owners of the properties are still given one year to redeem their properties subject to a two percent annual interest.

Since Aguilar failed to redeem the property after one year from the date of auction, Labella said “the purchaser at public auction Joel Chan is now entitled to a Final Deed of Sale for both properties.”

Councilor Jose Daluz III had reminded lot owners who have unpaid taxes in the past years to settle their tax accountability with the city to avoid future problems. (FREEMAN)