The Sandiganbayan has declared as unlawfully acquired several properties of the late former Muntinlupa town mayor Maximo A. Argana and ordered them forfeited in favor of the government.

While the number of properties in Muntinlupa (which became a city in 1995) and neighboring areas were listed in the decision, their total amount was not specified.

In a decision issued last Aug. 18, the anti-graft court granted the petition for forfeiture filed against Argana, his wife Maria Remedios Argana, Donata Almendrala De Argana, Luis Argana Jr., Peregrino Argana, Gelacio Argana, Eufrocinio Nofuente, Ampara Argana Nofuente, Juanito Rogelio, Milagros Argana Rogelio, Maria Felicidad Argana, Maria Dorotea Argana, and Redefor South Gold Property Management and Development Corporation.

They were named in Civil Case No. 0026 for Forfeiture of Unlawfully Acquired Properties.

State prosecutors told the court that the late Muntinlupa mayor, who served from 1964 to 1967 then from 1972 up to his death in June 1985, had acquired no less than 251 Original/Transfer Certificates of Title to parcels of land located in Muntinlupa and its neighboring towns as well as other assets recorded in the name of his spouse, daughters, brothers, sisters, brothers-in-law, and family corporation.

Red flags were raised as Argana had no other known sources of income which may justify the acquisition of said properties, and his income as mayor was manifestly out of proportion to his acquired properties, the Sandiganbayan said.

The anti-graft court determined Argana's basic salary as P183,700, with an allowance of P575,928.53 during his incumbency.

To bolster its claim that the late mayor had no other sources of income, the prosecution presented a letter from the Tax and License Division of the Office of the Mayor that showed, among others, that Argana has "no business registered in this office."

While his family members argued that the late mayor was engaged in the active practice of his profession as a lawyer, they were unable to provide any basis or representation of these other sources of income, the court said.

"In fact, the testimonies of the respondents' witnesses would collectively show that they had no proof to establish the earnings of mayor Argana as a lawyer or his alleged businesses' profitability to justify his/or his family's acquisition of those assets listed in the petition," it also said.

The respondents also testified that their family established Muntiriza Trading and Development Corporation in the early 1970s that was engaged in businesses such as the operation of a bowling alley, canteen, lodge, restaurant, gift shop, and office supply shop.

However, the court was not convinced that the establishment of the said corporation earned sufficient income to justify the acquisition of the unlawfully acquired assets.

It ruled that the respondents "failed to present sufficient evidence that would show the circumstances for their purchase of the properties listed in the petition, as well as their financial ability to make the acquisitions."

Also ordered forfeited were other personal properties such as 19,425 shares of capital stock of Sampaguita Savings and Loan Association, Inc. owned by Maximo Argana worth P1.6 million, and 5,000 shares of stock of Redefor owned by Maximo Argana, Donata Argana, Ma. Remedios Argana, Ma. Felicidad Argana, and Ma. Dorotea Argana worth P125,000.

The 114-page decision was signed by Presiding Justice Geraldine Faith A. Econg and Associate Justices Karl B. Miranda and Ronald B. Moreno.