By Benjamin Pulta
MANILA – The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Tuesday said it is looking into a complaint about the alleged illegal transfer of agrarian lands in Bataan.
In a news release, the NBI said 20 farmers filed sworn statements and provided documents at the NBI-National Capital Region (NCR).
The farmers claimed that parcels of land covered by Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs) were transferred to a private corporation engaged in now-banned Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGOs) and linked to personalities, including former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.
The CLOAs, they said, were without the required clearance from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).
The NBI said preliminary information indicates possible falsification of documents in the processing and transfer of land titles, “raising serious concerns over the legality and validity of the transactions.”
“The NBI-NCR is undertaking a thorough case build-up to determine the existence of probable cause and identify all individuals who may be held criminally liable,” it said.
It assured the public that the investigation “will be conducted impartially and in accordance with existing laws, particularly those protecting agrarian reform beneficiaries.” (PNA)
