Baguio City, Philippines – The Department of Agriculture-Cordillera- Baguio Animal Breeding and Research Center (DA-CAR BABRC) reported on Friday, July 23, 2021, a trespassing incident that resulted in damage of properties.
DA-CAR said the individuals armed with weapons were claiming possession of the 10 hectares within the area owned by the center, adding that several earlier intrusions were done by various unauthorized occupants and titleholders entering the area without getting permission from the DA or Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) since January 2021.
According to the agency, they have been in charge of the land since the issuance of Presidential Proclamation 603 by President Manuel L. Quezon on August 5, 1940.
Through Proclamation No. 603, Series of 1940, two parcels of land with a total land area of more or less 94 hectares were reserved for animal breeding to include Lot No. 1 which is 849,721 square meters located in the Tuba side while Lot No. 2 with 91,622 square meters is located at the Marcos Highway side.
Before the trespassing incident in July
Based on the narrative report of DA- BABRC, a group attempted to survey a ten-hectare lot within the stock farm in May 2021, claiming it as private property. This was followed by a series of trespassing incidents from June 14 until July 15 which was reported to Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) Station 10.
Jennilyn Dawayan, DA-CAR Regional Technical Director for Research and Regulations, during a regular session of the city council, mentioned that the group had with them a copy of an original Certificate of Title (OCT) issued by the Land Registration Authority in which she confirmed that said documents overlaps Proclamation No. 603.
OIC-BABRC Chief Robert L. Domoguen added that some 27 armed individuals coming from a private security firm were also observed to have been in the area several times.
BCPO City Director Glenn Lonogan then stated that firearms of the group had been seized as the security agency has no license to operate outside of its base.
Lonogan added that the agency shall face administrative cases filed by the Regional Civil Service Security Unit (RCSU) upon verification of the said violation.
In a recent update by DA-CAR, it said the armed group has already left the area and that the BABRC personnel are now working on fencing the area to further secure it.
DA-CAR advises the public that BABRC’s land area is not and will never be sold, unless Proclamation 603 will be amended. “The public is encouraged to verify first with the DA, DENR, or other legal authorities on the authenticity of documents over lands being offered to them,” they added.
Actions Undertaken by the City LGU
Earlier, Mayor Benjamin Magalong released a statement that he directed the BCPO to make sure that the farm is free from “unwanted intrusions”.
As for possible filing of charges against the intruders, SP Baguio reported that the agency is now preparing necessary documents which will be forwarded to the central office for legal action.
A member of the council has requested DA-CAR and BCPO for them to provide copies of documents related to those trespassing incidents to the council and the city’s legal office for them to study and decide on what possible assistance the city government may offer.
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