Claimants of foreshore lands told: Show titles or else…
TAX DECLARATION CERTIFICATES NOT ACCEPTABLE
THE Dagupan City government already sent notices to individuals who claim to have ownership of the foreshore lands in Bonuan to go to the city hall to show proofs of ownership, documents or land titles in their possession attesting their ownership.
It was clarified that the foreshore lands are considered parts of public domain and, therefore, inalienable and not disposable.
Among those that were sent notices were individuals that fenced off their claimed “properties”, said Mayor Belen Fernanez
Earlier, the Dagupan City government, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office, Community Environment and Natural Resources Office and the Philippine National Police issued warnings and put up signages that warned of illegal occupancy of foreshore lands.
Fernandez said CENRO confirmed that it has not given any permit neither did its higher office execute a leasehold agreement with any individual over the foreshore lands in Bonuan.
She said the city government and CENRO will remove the fences installed by individuals claimants who cannot present any document that proves their ownership.
The mayor said the verification of the claims was deferred because of the flooding in the city but the Dagupan City government and CENRO are bent on reclaiming the foreshore land as part of the public domain.
Meanwhile, with the consent of the DENR, the Dagupan City government is building the One-Bonuan Pavillon and the Filipino-Chinese Friendship Garden in the foreshore land at the boundary of Bonuan Boquig and Bonuan Binloc.
Fernandez discovered areas of the foreshore lands from Bonuan Gueset, Bonuan Boquig to Bonuan Binloc already fenced by private individuals when she did an ocular inspection of the proposed site of the ‘One-Bonuan’ Pavilion.
The claimants are reportedly using tax declaration certificates issued by the city assessor office in staking their claims in addition to alleged “rights” obtained from government officials.
Fernandez said these tax declarations are only proofs of paying one’s land taxes to the government but cannot be considered as land titles. (Leonardo Micua)
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