Muntinlupa land dispute

The Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Land Management Bureau (LMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will have to answer a complaint filed by a claimant of a disputed piece of land in Muntinlupa City before the Office of the Ombudsman.

The complaint against Concordio Zuniga was filed Friday morning by Antonio Acero, a warehouse maintainer, of Km. 22, Service Road, Barangay Cupang, Muntinlupa City.

In his complaint, Acero accused Zuniga of "knowingly and maliciously violating" his property rights over a parcel of land which he had paid for to the government several years ago.

According to Acero, Lot 146 of the Muntinlupa Friar Lands Estate in Cupang had been disputed when a certain Clemente Arevalo surfaced and claimed ownership of the land even though they had paid for it in 1994. The case was brought to the office of Abelardo Palad who was then the LMB director.

Records show that in 1982, Acero bought the 1.7 hectare friar land from Mauricio Rodriguez, a World-War II veteran who had started nurturing the land since the Japanese invasion.

Acero acquired his rights over the parcel of land by virtue of a public instrument dominated, "Kasunduan ng Bilihan Tuluyan" dated Dec. 8, 1982.

However, a formal investigation was conducted after the LMB learned that a Deed of Conveyance had already been issued in the name of Clemente Arevalo. Subsequently, the claim of Acero over Lot 146 was considered and evaluated.

"Undisputed and settled is the fact that for a span of five decades or more than half a century, Lot 146 has been in the actual, peaceful and continuous possession of Antonio Acero and his predecessor-in-interest, Mauricio Rodriguez," the LMB ruled.

In the order issued by Palad on Dec. 23, 1994, the Deed of Conveyance issued in favor of Arevalo was cancelled.

At the same time, the Friar Land Sales Application of Acero was given due course and resulted to the issuance of a Deed of Conveyance in his favor.

Just days ago, however, Acero said he learned that Zuniga has allegedly directed one of his investigators to draft a resolution in favor of Arevalo.

"For still unknown reasons, Mr. Zuniga is reportedly bent on opening up our case again with the view of signing a resolution favoring Mr. Arevalo," Acero said in his complaint.