Chavit uses guards to claim 'Payanig sa Pasig' land

MANILA, Philippines - Tension gripped the occupants of the 18.4-hectare land formerly known as the “Payanig sa Pasig” complex in Pasig City after Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson went there Friday night and asserted ownership over the entire contested property.

According to a source, Singson – accompanied by four bodyguards and at least 40 security guards from the Superb Security Agency – arrived at about 6:20 p.m. at the area of the complex where the Autocamp car dealership is located.

The source said Singson then asked the guards of the Chevron Security Agency, which was hired by the Independent Realty Corp. (IRC) to guard the property, to leave.

“He said he owns the land and they should leave so there would be no trouble,” the source said.

According to the source, Singson left the area at around 9 p.m. but left his security guards behind. The source said Luis Quiogue, IRC general manager, later relayed an order for the Chevron security guards to stay put.

The source said the Chevron guards were not disarmed by Singson’s security guards, but admitted that there was tension between the two groups. To prevent trouble, the Pasig City police sent a team of police officers to the area.

IRC is controlled by the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) and has supervision over the property, which it now leases to several tenants, including those that occupy Autocamp and the adjacent Metrowalk Complex.

The Sandiganbayan earlier upheld the PCGG firm’s ownership over the Payanig sa Pasig property and denied a motion for intervention filed by Blemp Commercial Philippines, Inc., a firm controlled by Singson.

In its 23-page resolution, the anti-graft court noted that the property is owned by PCGG by virtue of its ownership and control of the Mid Pasig Land Development Corp., one of the assets surrendered by the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos’ close associate, Jose Campos, in 1987 to the PCGG.

The Sandiganbayan, in denying the motion for intervention, said Blemp failed to satisfy requirements provided under the Rules of Court to show proof that it has a legal interest in the case.

According to PCGG spokesman Nick Suarez, Singson had filed a motion for reconsideration, asking the anti-graft court to reverse its decision.

“He is claiming that he has in his possession the true land title for the property and that what the PCGG has is a fake one. But as his motion for reconsideration is still pending, he should not have sent his security guards to that portion where the Autocamp is located,” he said.

Suarez said Singson, in 2009, asserted ownership over the entire former Payanig sa Pasig property, claiming that Blemp took possession of the land title from Campos long before the property was surrendered to the PCGG.

“If the land is really his, why then did he wait for so long to tell the PCGG that? And if he really believes that the property is his, he should go to the court and not bully and harass our security guards. He should know that, being a government official,” Suarez said.