Malabon official suspended for anomalous property transfer

A Malabon City government official was suspended yesterday for six months without pay after the Office of the Ombudsman found her to have been involved in the anomalous transfer of four pieces of real property last year.

Acting Registry of Deeds head Josephine Ponciano was accused of conspiring with sisters Mely Garcia and Virginia Nazareno to cancel the titles to four lots in the name of their deceased mother and issue new ones in their names, excluding another sister, Estrellita Casasola.

In her complaint, Casasola said Garcia and Nazareno, executed falsified deeds of absolute sale to make it appear that their mother had sold her properties to them before she passed away.

Casasola said it was impossible for her two sisters to have bought the properties for P500,000 since both of them do  not have any means of livelihood and were dependent on their mother for their needs.

The transfer was also questionable since the required capital gains and documentary stamp taxes were not paid.

Land Registration Authority Administrator Benedicto Ulep has been directed to immediately implement the order of suspension against Ponciano, according to Assistant Ombudsman Mark Jalandoni. – Edu Punay