JUST to protect the taxpayers’ hard-earned money, Caloocan City Vice Mayor Maca Asistio III and the entire council members are ready to be arrested and jailed.
This is so after reports about Caloocan Judge Dionisio Sison getting ready to issue an arrest warrant against them over the non-payment of a 6,901 square-meter property in Barangay 33, Zone 3, Maypajo amounting to P134.6-million that was acquired by the local government in 1996 for P47-million for a socialized housing project.
Vice Mayor Maca and the council members have questioned the apparent rush, if reports were true, to issue a warrant for contempt of court against them since the case has been pending before the appellate court.
“Just the same, we have closed ranks and we are prepared to expect the worse,” the vice mayor declares.
Also included in the arrest warrant are District 1 Councilors Aurora ‘Onet’ Henson, Karina Teh, Dean Asistio, Susan Punzalan, Marilou Nubla, Jay Afrika and District 2 Councilors Carol Cunanan, Rose Mercado, Roberto ‘Obet’ Samson, Chito Abel, Tolentino ‘Tino’ Bagus, Allen Aruelo and Along Malapitan, Mayor Oca Malapitan’s son and Liga ng mga Barangay head.
Documents showed that the city government expropriated on Aug. 2, 1996 the property that’s registered under Recom Realty Corp. which was not in any way connected with former mayor and now District 1 Rep. Enrico ‘Recom’ Echiverri.
The problem started when Judge Modesto Juanson issued an order fixing the just compensation in the amount of P7, 208 per square meter on June 23, 2003. He then issued an order of expropriation on Dec. 22, 2003 in favor of the city government after payment of just compensation amounting to P49,735,200.00.
On Feb. 2, 2004, the city government filed a notice of appeal, arguing, among others, “that the method adopted in the determination of the appraised value of the property should have been used as the basis in the just compensation and not the judge’s method.”
The ensuing legal battle resulted in two more cases in 2013, including a direct contempt against members of the city council for non-payment of the principal and interest totaling P134,600,041.13.
But the city council insisted that the computation of interest should not be compounded and it should only pay P101,811,105.17.
Councilors Mercado, Cunanan and Teh said that the city government will still pay for the expropriated property but they still have to wait for the decision of the higher courts.
Meanwhile, Councilors Henson and Bagus said: “We are all ready to be jailed if that’s the way to defend the taxpayers’ money. We are only after what is just and right.”
Councilor Samson says they are wondering why the rush (to issue an arrest warrant) insisting the case is still pending. Vice Mayor Asistio and the council members have declared that they stand on their action explaining that they’re only defending the people’s money from exorbitant interest rates as ordered by the judge. GOOD RIDDANCE/ARLIE CALALO
