Antipolo City mayor faces charges over land mess

The Office of the Ombudsman filed graft charges against the mayor of Antipolo City, Rizal, with the Sandiganbayan yesterday for the non-payment of two parcels of land covered by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) which the city government acquired in 1999 supposedly as relocation sites for squatter families.

Graft investigation officer Joy Casihan-Dumlao recommended P20,000 bail for the temporary liberty of Antipolo Mayor Angelito Gatlabayan.

In a two-page complaint, Dumlao said Gatlabayan, on Oct. 11, 1999, separately entered into memoranda of agreement with Domingo Reforsado and Angelo Reforsado for the purchase of two parcels of land with areas of 12,899 and 19,409 square meters, respectively.

Dumlao said the two parcels of land were intended as relocation sites for 2,500 squatter families who were evicted from the Sumulong Highway in Antipolo.

Despite knowing that the lots were covered by certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) under the CARP, Dumlao said Gatlabayan convinced and assured the Reforsados that they could sell them to the city government.

Dumlao said Gatlabayan even assured the Reforsados that the city government would take up the conversion of the lots from agricultural to residential purposes with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

Relying on Gatlabayan’s assurances, the Reforsados approved the sale of their property.

However, Gatlabayan, in July 1999, informed the Reforsados that the city government was no longer interested in the lots, saying he was able to find a much cheaper property. He rescinded the sale of the land and refused to pay the balance.

The Reforsados were shocked when, on July 15, 1999, the city’s engineering office entered their property and bulldozed the area without their authority.

The Reforsados were also constrained to accept Gatlabayan’s offer of P500,000 as initial payment with the assurance that the remaining balance of the agreed 20 percent downpayment would be paid at once and the remainder would be settled within 90 days.

In a matter of five days thereafter, the Sumulong Highway was cleared of squatters and Gatlabayan transferred them to the Reforsados’ property. — Jose Rodel Clapano