In Lapu-Lapu City ‘Phl owner’ told: Demolish structure

CEBU, Philippines - The Lapu-Lapu City government ordered the demolition of a structure built by a member of the group that claimed ownership of the entire Philippine archipelago.

City attorney Yuri Beluan approved the recommendation made by assistant city attorney Michael Dignos directing the city engineer to issue a notice asking Alfredo Aton, representative of the Alpha Omega World Development Marshall Programme, to demolish his structures in Subapanas, Barangay Subabasbas within 10 days upon receipt of the notice.

The order came after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7 denied the application for Foreshore Lease of Aton and forfeited whatever fees paid on account thereof in favor of the government.

The DENR-7 had directed Aton to remove whatever improvements he may have introduced or caused to have been introduced into the converted area otherwise the same shall be forfeited in favor of the government.

In his Affidavit of Undertaking, Aton said that in the event his application shall not be granted, he undertakes not to hold the government responsible or liable in the event the structure or residential house shall be demolished.

 "Hence, as voluntarily undertaken by Mr. Aton, he is supposed to demolish his illegally constructed structures, in consonance with his Affidavit of Undertaking," said Dignos.

The Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor's Office earlier dismissed the falsification case filed by Aton's group against a resident who fenced her property in the city.

The group has been claiming that Lapu-Lapu City is part of the Hacienda Filipina owned by the royal clan entrusted to the Universal Queen of Queens Foundations, Inc.

It asked the Lapu-Lapu City government and all its instrumentalities to stop what it described as "illegal disposition, selling, leasing, conveyances, and development" of private ancestral land domains allegedly owned by the Tallano-Tagean Royal Clan.

Beluan already told the group that the claim appears to be contrary not just to existing government records of titles and ownership but also to prevailing laws of the Republic of the Philippines.

Beluan said the documents submitted should be thoroughly verified in consideration of their "highly dubious character."

Beluan warned the group that the absence of authority to use seals and emblems of the United Nations, its organizations and agencies, and of the different instrumentalities of the Philippine government, and the signatures of different government officials will expose them to criminal liability.—(FREEMAN)