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BuCor plan to develop Tanay property not yet final

By Benjamin Pulta

February 20, 2023, 6:22 pm

MANILA – Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday said the Department of Justice (DOJ) is still exploring options and no final decision has been reached yet on whether the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor)’s headquarters will be moved to its 270-hectare property in Tanay town, Rizal province.

“We are exploring everything. Actually, wala [pa] naman final decision doon e (There is no final decision yet. It is something that will be suggested to us by the BuCor. We are not micromanaging BuCor, we are allowing them to explore the possibilties for the future,” he said.

Remulla said he has met with Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Antonia Loyzaga about the property known as the Masungi Georeserve, which is being claimed by a foundation, adding that the government will have a singular position on the matter.

“We will speak in one voice on this matter. There should be no problem. Pro-environment tayo, hindi natin kalaban ang environmentalists. May mga tao lang syempre na alarmist tungkol dito (We are pro-environment, environmentalists are not our enemy. There may just be people who are being alarmist about this),” Remulla said.

Ang mahalaga lang sa Masungi ay ma-preserve ‘yan ngunit ‘yung ibang lupa na hindi nagagamit ay magamit naman ng gobyerno (What is important is to preserve Masungi and the idle portions of the property that are not in use should be utilized by the government),” he added. “It’s the heritage of the Filipino people. It does not belong to one foundation at all but to all the Filipino people.”

Last Friday, the BuCor reiterated that it remains as the owner of the property which is being claimed by a group, the Masungi Georeserve Foundation.

BuCor Acting Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. said the bureau’s Tanay property will also be used “for the sustainment of its basic institutional food requirements.”

“BuCor is the registered owner of the subject property by virtue of the transfer certificate of title (NR 069-20220110986) issued in favor of BuCor,” Catapang said in a statement.

“Existing jurisprudence dictates that until and unless it is nullified by a court of competent jurisdiction in a direct proceedings for the cancellation of title, the title to the land under the name of the Bureau of Corrections remains indefeasible and binding upon the whole world,” he said.

He pointed out that being the registered owner of the subject property, BuCor has all the right to conduct any activity in the area, including "the questioned ocular inspection that was conducted by our personnel.”

“The subject 270 hectares of land which is titled under the name of the Bureau of Corrections is not a relocation site of the New Bilibid Prison contrary to the allegations of the adversaries,” he said.

Pursuant to its five-year development plan, Catapang said the subject property in Tanay will be used as the BuCor headquarters, including residential uses for its personnel and employees and other land use development plans and policies. (PNA) 

 

 

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