Contractor denies co-owning LTO land

MANILA, Philippines - The information technology (IT) provider of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) denied yesterday allegations that the company now co-owns the land in Quezon City where the agency stands.

Stradcom Corp. said “there is absolutely no truth to that” even as Justice Secretary Leila de Lima has ordered an investigation into the matter.

Margaux Salcedo, spokesperson for the company, said the Department of Justice or any government agency can verify it with the Register of Deeds and the Land Registration Authority.

“The title of the LTO compound is still under the name of the Republic of the Philippines and not under Stradcom Corp.,” she said.

De Lima has ordered the LRA to look into a questioned annotation in a land title covering the main office of the LTO along East Avenue in Quezon City. The title reportedly bears an entry of annotation dated Jan. 25, 2010 granting co-ownership to Stradcom Corp.

As of yesterday, LTO officer-in-charge Raquel Desiderio declined to comment on the matter, saying she was in a workshop and have yet to validate the report.

Desiderio replaced embattled chief Virginia Torres, who had figured in a much-publicized rift with Stradcom, after Torres was told to go on leave by Malacañang.

According to Salcedo, “the annotation in the title is simply a statement that Stradcom has erected a building and other improvements on the LTO compound to house the LTO-IT infrastructure, in accordance of its obligation under its BOO contract with the government.”

“Stradcom has never acquired nor does it have any intention of acquiring any government property,” she added.