House probe sought on questionable sale of government hospital lots

Billy Begas

House Assistant Majority Leader and ACT-CIS Rep. Rowena ‘Niña’ Taduran has called for a congressional probe on the questionable sale of two parcels of lands owned by Philippine Orthopedic Center (POC).

Taduran said House Resolution 2336 was referred by the plenary to the House Committee on Health.

The lady solon said the sale happened amid the COVID-19 pandemic and contrary to the decision of the Supreme Court.

“It came under questionable circumstances. It begs us to ask why there was apparent haste in the sale as the deal was done when everyone was not looking because of COVID-19. We received information that the lots were sold with the help of a then retiring local registry of deeds official. What have we lost here? That we need to find out,” Taduran said.

Taduran said the sale involves two lots one measuring 1,516.50 square meters and the other, 1,517 square meters located adjacent to the present location of POC in Quezon City.

She explained that the lots were owned by the hospitals since 1947.

According to the HR 2336, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court issued a decision on March 15, 2009 ordering spouses Jose and Amelia Luriz to restore the peaceful possession of the lots to POC.

On February 24, 2016, the Supreme Court denied the petition of Jose Luriz for reconstitution of the title of the subject lots, stating that it belong to the Republic.

On March 21, 2018. POC through the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) filed with the QC RTC a complaint for revival/enforcement of the March 15, 2009 judgment. The case is pending resolution.

On September 20, 2020, a Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) was issued to Jose Luriz by the Registry of deeds for the two lots owned and occupied by the POC.

Two new TCTs were issued on June 25, 2021 by Registry of Deeds of Quezon City on the same lots that were sold to new owners.

Taduran said if the documents she gathered are faithful reproduction of the originals, “this becomes a serious situation because it involves the properties of POC, a government hospital catering to the health needs of Filipinos.”

In a statement, Taduran named the buyers as spouses Winston Yu-Limwan and Maybelle Ng-Limwan and a private company, Visco Motors Corp.

“We would also like to dig deeper into the participation of Elbert Quilala who, according to some people, had retired from the local Registry of Deeds months after the TCTs were issued last year,” Taduran added.

Taduran said she will ask the Health committee to summon the people involved and all the pertinent documents related to the sale of the properties.

The post House probe sought on questionable sale of government hospital lots first appeared on .

Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)