Duterte makes swindler chew fake land order

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – A visibly irked Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte yesterday made a suspected swindler, who presented himself to be a leader of a informal settlers’ group, chew the fake order he presented in claiming a vacant lot in Barangay Matina Aplaya here.

The suspect was identified as one Manolito Gavas, who introduced himself as chairman and president of Ambassador for Christ of Don Alejandro San Pedro Foundation and chairman of the Veterans Legionaries of World War of the Walter Cushing Guerrilla Unit Inc.

Police arrested Gavas on Monday for alleged robbery, malicious mischief, grave threats and trespassing, as charged by the owner of Victoria Village, after he led more than 24 families in illegally building shanties on the property.

“He (Gavas) should be made to pay for what he has done,” said Duterte, who personally went to the Talomo police station before dawn yesterday and made Gavas chew a copy of the order that he used as basis in occupying the vacant lot at Victoria Village.

Duterte confronted Gavas on the order which Gavas himself penned and signed using the letterhead of the provincial government of Davao del Sur, ordering Duterte, his daughter Mayor Sara Duterte, Davao del Sur Gov. Douglas Cagas, and barangay officials to allow the informal settlers to occupy the lot.

Gavas’ fake order quoted a previous Supreme Court ruling that did not apply to the Victoria Village property.

Superintendent Dionisio Abude, Talomo police chief, said Duterte got angry when he confronted Gavas about the fake order.

After the confrontation, Abude said Gavas was immediately returned to his detention cell.

Gavas duped people into believing they could occupy any land they wanted and making them pay monthly dues for the property that was not legally theirs.

Mayor Duterte also expressed interest in filing charges against Gavas for using her name in luring informal settlers in building shanties at Victoria Village.

Cagas was also reported to be filing charges against Gavas for using the letterhead of the provincial government in making his fake order.

Gavas earlier had refused to vacate the place despite the landowner’s repeated prodding until police and representatives of the city government forcibly demolished the structures and arrested him.

Gavas kept citing a Supreme Court ruling that he never specified that allegedly stipulates that people could occupy any vacant land anywhere in the country.