The head of the Muntinlupa City government’s Treasury Office has clarified that all legal and administrative procedures were followed regarding the foreclosure and auction of a delinquent real property in Ayala Alabang Village.
This after spouses Manuel and Maria Lourdes Alberto sent a letter to the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission to protest the auction of their property. The house, located on Dama de Noche Street in Ayala Alabang Village, sits on a 450 sq. m. lot.
In his explanation to the Bureau of Local Government Finance of the Department of Finance, Muntinlupa City Treasurer Anastacio Miñoza said the real property tax for the property, which amounted to P323,026.70, was not paid for six years from 2010 until it was sold at a public auction on Dec. 7, 2016.
Miñoza said all the procedures were followed including sending notices to the address of the Albertos in the village.
“This office complied with all the procedural requirements before conducting a public auction. In their case, three (3) notices containing billing statements of real property tax due were mailed to Dama de Noche St., Ph. X-A, Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa City based on the Tax Declarations (TDs) on May 20, 2016, September 2, 2016 and October 2016,” Miñoza said.
He said the final notice of delinquency dated Oct. 10, 2016 was sent through registered mail on Oct. 25, 2016 to the same address indicated in the TDs.
“The warrant of levy was issued on October 25, 2016, was served and mailed thru registered mail on November 15, 2016 to the Registry of Deeds, and simultaneously was served upon the City Assessor for annotation of the levy to the Certificate of Title and on the tax declarations respectively as required by Section 258 of R.A. 7160 otherwise known as Local Government Code of 1991,” Miñoza added.
In addition, the notice of delinquency was published twice in a newspaper on Nov. 6 and 13, 2016, and the third and fourth notice of auction sale was published on Nov. 20 and 27, 2016 as required by law.
The notices were also posted in all barangays and different places in Muntinlupa City Hall complex on Nov. 4 and 18, 2016.
Following the auction of the property, the City Treasurer’s Office sent a letter to the Albertos containing a copy of the Certificate of Sale dated Jan. 3, 2017. A letter dated Jan. 4, 2017 was also sent to the Albertos on Jan. 18, 2017 informing them that their property was auctioned and they had one year to redeem it.
After the redemption period lapsed, the Deed of Conveyance was issued dated and notarized on Jan. 4, 2018. A letter dated March 27, 2018 was mailed on April 10, 2018 requesting the Albertos to visit the City Treasurer’s Office to claim the proceeds of the auction.
Miñoza pointed out that the City Treasurer’s Office conducted tax campaigns in Ayala Alabang Village years before the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic hit the country.
The Muntinlupa City government through the Anti-Graft Board is conducting an investigation on the matter.