City sets auction of delinquent real properties

By BONG PEDALINO, PIA Southern Leyte
January 14, 2006

MAASIN CITY  –  The city government here has set its sights this year, 2006, in which to hold an auction sale on real properties like land and buildings that are delinquent in the payment of taxes.

City Treasurer Eleseo Costillas disclosed over DYDM “Bantay Tawo” program anchored by Monching Buyser this week that he is now preparing to conduct an auction proceeding on the tax delinquent properties.

“We have a plan to auction delinquent land and buildings this year.  We will start doing that soon.  It is also our sworn duty based on the local government code,” Costillas said over the phone.

He stressed that the move was considered one of the ways for the city to raise revenues and be financially self-sufficient.

City Vice-Mayor Maloney Samaco, the Acting Mayor, confirmed in another radio program “Aksyon, Solusyon, Inisyatibo”, the statement of the City treasurer.

“We have approved on Wednesday (Jan. 11) the guidelines submitted by the City treasurer.  I think there’s no need to hold a public hearing on this because everytime the treasurer’s office conducts a tax information campaign in the barangay it was explained that those delinquent properties would undergo an auction sale,” the Vice Mayor said in response to a text query.

He added:  “What is needed maybe is a final notice to the owner that his/her property is subject for auction.”

The Vice Mayor is consequently serving as Acting Mayor until January 23, for Mayor Mercado was on official travel.

Samaco said one point of the guidelines stipulated that owners or any heirs of the sold, auctioned real estate are given the right to re-purchase for one year, and they are also given priority in the selection of interested buyers once the said properties are offered for auction selling.

Owners of lots that are under a long-running Court litigation due to pending cases are advised to refer the matter to the Committee on Auction Sale composed of the Treasurer, Assessor, and Legal Officer for proper evaluation, Vice Mayor Samaco further said.