People's Tonight article, 31 January 2010

‘Give us part of John Hay back!’

by People's Tonight

Sunday, 31 January 2010 19:51

WHEREVER he is, national hero Mateo Cariño must be watching proudly and beaming like an undefeated king at his descendants. The Igorot chieftain had passionately defended his ancestral land to the tomb. Like him, his heirs are bent on winning his battles with the unique ferocity and gentle fervor that characterize members of the clan. As part of efforts to recover the Baguio Dairy Farm, they are set to file fraud and graft charges against National Commission on Indigenous Peoples commissioners. Heirs of the national hero are set to file charges against NCIP Commissioner Eugenio Insigne and other commissioners. They are also set to file prohibitory actions against the NCIP and the Philippine courts over the issuance of CALTs covering 22 hectares of much more expensive properties in Baguio City which the NCIP allegedly issued to a spurious land claimant. Last year, Baguio City filed graft charges against the seven commissioners because the NCIP had issued a CALT covering the Baguio Botanical Garden, the Ilusorio Park and even parts of Camp John Hay, which are being claimed by the Cariño family as part of their ancestral domain. Joaquin “Jack” Kintanar Cariño, publisher of the Baguio Yearbook, and writer Linda Grace Cariño said the NCIP erred and ignored its own rules and guidelines, due process and the IPRA Law when it issued ancestral land titles covering more than 90 hectares of prime property of the Baguio Dairy Farm in Baguio City to a family claiming to trace their lineage to Bayosa Ortega-Cariño -- acknowledged owner of the said property and wife of Mateo. Jack and Linda Grace are grandchildren and heirs of ex-Baguio City Mayor Dr. Joe Ma. Cariño, a son of Mateo. Jack Cariño said the family’s claim has been with the government as early as 1990. Despite a favorable recommendation by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, processing of the claim by the NCIP had been painstakingly slow. As if adding insult to injury, the NCIP approved in record time the issuance of the CALTs to the Paus family on the major premise that they are descendants of Bayosa Ortega. The complainants cited that the family tree of Bayosa has been featured in several publications. They challenged the Paus claimants and the NCIP to enlighten the public on how the Paus family became descendants of Bayosa. They claimed that Bayosa only had nine children and all are accounted for. “This is a classic case of identity theft,” said Jack. Linda Grace added that the Paus claim is filled with fraudulent loopholes, citing the claim that they have been religiously paying taxes on the property in question since 1918. She revealed that all tax receipts attached to their file are dated 2008. In a letter to the Paus family dated April 29, 1996, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources held in abeyance their claim pending submission of alleged tax declaration dated 1918. The Paus file contains no such tax declaration. “How can such large-scale fraud happen under the very office that is supposed to protect indigenous people’s rights?” Linda asked. According to her, the land value of Baguio in the aforementioned area is estimated at P5,000 per square meter. “You multiply P5,000 times 90 hectares -- or 900,000 square meters total. This will give you a rough amount to P4.5 billion . With development investments, the property value within a year will certainly quadruple. Surveyors of a huge property firm are already surveying the area, fueling speculations that the property had already been sold even prior to the issuance of the CALT,” she added.