Settlers want Dino to show proof of ownership of property in Cordova

Some 500 settlers in Sitio Panagdait, Barangay Ibabaw, Cordova town have accused Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino of claiming a parcel of land and collecting rental fees from them since 2015.

Joel Peñalosa, one of those who has been living in the place since the 1990s, said Dino never showed them any land title to prove that he owns the 1,800-square-meter lot.

“Nagpuyo na ang among mga ginikanan dinha sukad pa sa una. Nahibong na lang mi nga kalit na lang giangkon ni Dino ang yuta. (Our parents have long lived here. We were surprised when Dino suddenly claimed the lot),” he told CDN.

About five persons who claimed to be agents of Dino have allegedly been collecting monthly rentals from the settlers at P107 per square meter.

But of the 95 families who live in the place, only about 20 have complied with the demand since 2015, fearing that they might get evicted.

The rest chose not to pay rent to Dino’s alleged representatives since the latter have not shown any proof of ownership over the lot.

Peñalosa admitted that the settlers also have no authority over the land as their parents simply occupied the place which used to be vacant in the 1980s.

“Wala may nag-claim anang yutaa sa una, so nagtukod og balay ang among mga ginikanan diha. Mahulog gyud nga nag-squat ra mi. (No one claimed that parcel of land before so our parents decided to build their homes there. We are simply squatters on that place so to speak),” he said.

Dino’s lawyer Josie Uy said her client’s family owned the property for over 30 years now.

“Insofar as my client is concerned, his family owns it. They have been paying the property taxes for that land for years now,” she told CDN.

Uy denied claims that the settlers were made to pay rental fees by Dino although the latter has not shown any proof of ownership.

“We don’t know who are those persons collecting money from the residents. But definitely, it is not my client,” she said.

Uy begged off from issuing other details of the case, saying she has yet to confer with Dino regarding the matter.

Cebu Daily News tried to contact Dino, but he did not answer the calls. A text message sent to him yesterday was also left unanswered.

Elna Libod-libod, a production worker and a resident of the place for two decades, said most of them refused to pay the monthly rentals because Dino had not personally presented proof that he owns the land.

“Dili mi mobayad kay wala mi nakahibaw asa padulong ang kuwarta. Mga tawo ra ni niya (Dino) nga moanhi dinhi. (We won’t pay the monthly rentals because we do not know where the money goes. Only Dino’s representatives come here to collect the payment),” she told CDN.

When CDN visited the settlers, some of them who paid the rentals to Dino’s alleged representatives complained that they were not issued official receipts but only mere receipts which looked “informal.”

The settlers’ houses are made of wood, bamboo and nipa. Within the vicinity of the lot were two huge tarpaulins showing an Entry of Judgement by the Supreme Court’s first division that ruled in favor of Dino over the ownership of the lot.

A case was earlier filed by the heirs of Cornelia Onting and Miguel Bentulan against Dino over ownership of the lot.

Dino emerged victorious in the legal battle.

Onting and Bentulan, according to the settlers, used to own the lot but chose to later give way in favor of Dino.

Libod-libod expressed hopes that they will be allowed to stay in the land where they grew up.

“Lisud baya mangita ug kapuy-an. Naglisud baya kasagaran sa mga nagpuyo dinhi. Unya maluoy si Dino namo. (It’s hard to look for a place to live. Most of us here are poor. I hope Dino will have pity on us),” she said.