Representatives of the Bagong Lahi Multipurpose Cooperative were grilled by members of the local legislative body during its regular session last Monday following their alleged issuance of fake land titles covering different parts of the city.
Earlier, Councilor Vladimir Cayabas moved to invite an invitation to the officers and members of the Bagong Lahing Pilipino Multipurpose Cooperative to shield light on the said controversial matter during the council’s upcoming session.
It has been communicated that despite the unfortunate passing of their regional director in August 2022, the cooperative intends to dispatch another spokesperson to represent them during the regular session scheduled for the second week of February 2024.
Jovito Salonga, also known as Datu Magat Salamat and the current vice president of the cooperative, explained that the cooperative’s authority to issue land titles through the Torrens System is based on Presidential Decree 1529, an amendment of Act 496, Land Registration Act Section 2. He elaborated that the jurisdiction of land registration extends to both public and private lands, as outlined in Section 14 paragraph 1, with “public” referring to eminent domain and “private” to ancestral domain under the constitution. As a result, he emphasized that the cooperative aligns with the classification of a private group, thus justifying its authority in this matter.
As Mr. Salonga explained the Torrens System, Vice Mayor Faustino A. Olowan interrupted him at the beginning of the discussion. Olowan questioned if Salonga was claiming the entire Philippine Island and advised him to address the matter to Malacañang. Salonga responded by stating that their intention was not to acquire the entire land in the Philippines.
He clarified that he was tasked with continuing the previous chairman’s mission to support the landless. Salonga elaborated that they aimed to acquire three specific issuances within the Philippines: council of elders native titled, eminent domain administrative title, and judicial court proceedings, also known as the Torrens System Law. This explanation sought to convey their specific objectives and their commitment to addressing the needs of the landless population within the legal framework.
During the discussion, many city council members posed numerous inquiries regarding the legal standing, verification processes, and authorization of the BLP multi-purpose cooperative to Mr. Salonga. They requested a copy of the organization’s land titles to validate their legitimacy. Notably, Councilor Jose M. Molintas sought to discern the cooperative’s motives. After examining the title presented by Mr. Salonga, he uncovered that it was issued in the Province of Bulacan. This prompted him to inquire about the cooperative’s land holdings in Baguio and raised further questions about the potential use of the Bulacan title within the city.
The authorized representative of the BLP multi-purpose cooperative was unable to provide answers and failed to present legitimate documents supporting the organization’s stance. This has raised concerns among council members regarding the prevalence of misleading and potentially fraudulent information being disseminated. It is feared that this may jeopardize members’ chances of obtaining genuine land titles, highlighting the possibility that funds are being collected from them without proper guarantees in return.
The city has issued a public warning urging individuals to remain vigilant against fraudsters distributing counterfeit Torrens titles, specifically cautioning against the illicit practices of an entity known as Bagong Lahing Pilipino (BLP) Multi-purpose cooperative, also operating under the name “Bagong Lahing Pilipino (BLP) Development Foundation Inc.” According to the city’s public advisory, the questionable activities of this group have been a source of apprehension since its establishment in 2009. By Joy Anne Palaoag
