ALAMINOS CITY – The family feud now pending before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) has turned ugly  compelling the judge to  issue a gag order against the contending parties warning them of contempt if they further issue inflammatory statements against the receiver.

RTC Judge Jules Mejia of Branch 54 issued the warning during the continuation of the hearing of Civil Case No. A-2602 admonishing them not to argue their case in the media  but   in his court after he noted that both the plaintiff Roberto Reinoso and the defendants, brothers Florentino and Pedro Reyes, have been issuing  statements to the local media lambasting  each other.

At the same time, Judge Mejia told The PUNCH that there was no tension in Alaminos City as a result of his order naming former Bolinao Mayor Jesus Celeste as receiver of the property under litigation, saying it is only a simple civil case where a receiver had to be appointed.

The parties contesting the state of the late Josefa Rabago are the adopted son Roberto as plaintiff and brothers Florentino and Pedro Reyes, as defendants, reportedly the sons of Josefa’s dead brother.

The contending parties had accused Celeste of unlawfully taking over the contested properties and produce of the farms and selling these unilaterally three weeks ago. 

Celeste, upon filing a P250,000 bond and taking his oath as receiver, was ordered by the court to deliver one third of whatever proceeds he gets from the property to the plaintiff (Roberto Reinoso), while two-thirds shall be delivered to the defendants.

Judge Mejia clarified that the apportionment pertains only to some 50,000 bags of salt worth P15 million derived from the property that needs to be divided while the case is pending, in order to protect the same from dissipation to the disadvantage of the parties and not the properties being contested.

Celeste said the salt product is currently stored in 21 separate bodegas in barangay Pangapisan, Alaminos City and expressed fears that if these are not disposed of immediately, there will be no place to store additional salt that would be produced.

Celeste clarified that being the receiver of the 300-hectare property does not make him owner of the property nor liable for committing a land grabbing offense. He added that based on his appointment from the Court, it is his duty to administer all the properties under litigation.

“Inaakusahan ho ako ng landgrabbing. Ang land grabbing ho ay inaari mo ang lupa. Hindi ho, dahil receiver lang po ako. Kung sakaling may reklamo po sila ay pumunta na lang po sila sa korte para patunayan na hindi kasama ang property na ito sa receivership,” Celeste said.

As the receiver of the property, he said only he can harvest the property and the proceeds of which will be apportioned among the parties involved and will be accountable to the court.  

Celeste said he was surprised about the appointment and was reluctant to accept the job knowing it would  put him in a difficult position.

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