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City council to investigate Prime Peak’s operations

BAGUIO CITY (Feb. 1.) — During the weekly council session on Monday, the city council questioned the representatives of Prime Peak Ltd., Inc. on the alleged irregularities on sale of real properties which included public lands, roads and barangay needs within the city.

Housing and Local Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) Regional Director Rebecca F. Torres disclosed before the city council that the agency had not issued any license to sell and a certificate of registration to Prime Peak because the company had no development permit and subdivision project approved by the city government.

However, the city council stressed that there should be a duly approved council resolution for the subdivision project. Thus, until now the permit is pending.

Atty. Adelina Tabangin, counsel for the affected private land owners revealed that titles held by Prime Peak (either in Outlook Drive or in Sto. Tomas) are not validated. She said that there was no approval in their application for its validation.

Tabangin, former city registrar of deeds, vouched that there was no record on the registry of deeds that said lots were ever validated.

The subject lot titles, according to Tabangin, were among those issued under Civil Reservation Case No.1 Record 211, and which the Supreme Court declared void. The court that issued the same had no jurisdiction. the said titles can be legalized upon undergoing validation proceedings but the subject titles did not undergo the said process.

Furthermore, Atty. Evelyn Cayat, City Planning and Development Coordinator, said that Prime Peak did not apply for the establishment of the said project.

“The subdivision does not exist although Prime Peak asked our office for the technical requirements,” she added.

On the other hand, Sto. Tomas barangay captain Federico Gallotan was also present and shed light on the said irregularities.

Gallotan affirmed before the council that Prime Peak’s operation in their area was legal.

He showed documents and other supporting papers to prove that Gloria De Guzman really owns the land property.

De Guzman and Prime Peak representatives’ legal counsel Michael Frederick Musngi and Gloria De Guzman’s son Lorenzo Aguilar maintained that their family and the company have the right to use and dispose their property, undeterred by any legal impediment.

Musngi and Aguilar urged the city council to respect the decision handed down by the Regional Trial Court sustaining the validity of said titles; unless the court would declare as null and void by direct suit for the purpose filed by the Office of the Solicitor General.

However, Councilor Daniel Fariñas clarified that court’s decision did not conclude whether the titles are fake or valid as it even included in the decision the consideration of the case filed by the Solicitor General.

The city council will request again the presence of the involved persons for another discussion after the Urban Planning, Lands and Housing Committee conducts a rigid investigation regarding the alleged irregularities faced by Prime Peak.# Angely M. Lubo and Rhea Urbano/UP Interns for NORDIS with reports Aileen P. Refuerzo/PIO

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