Marcoleta Now Wants an Inquiry Into ABS-CBN’s Land Title

SAGIP party-list representative and deputy speaker Rodante Marcoleta is not yet finished with ABS-CBN. Just 12 days after the House Committee on Legislative Franchises denied the renewal of the network’s franchise, Marcoleta now wants an inquiry into the authenticity of ABS-CBN’s land title in Quezon City where its headquarters is located. 

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Marcoleta filed House Resolution No. 1058, directing the appropriate committees in the House of Representatives to conduct the inquiry “in the light of the policy recommendation of the [technical working group] as a consequence of the decision taken by the committee on legislative franchises on the franchise application of ABS-CBN Corporation.”

Marcoleta Implies ABS-CBN’s Land Title Could Be Fake

Marcoleta was able to secure a certified electronic copy of the title from the Registry of Deeds in Quezon City. 

According to Marcoleta, the certified electronic copy showed that it is an “Owner’s Duplicate Copy” of the title and not the “Original Certificate Copy” of the title. 

The lawmaker also took issue with the handwritten suffix “PR-9690” or Provisional Registration-9690. 

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“Upon perusal of the certified electronic copy obtained from the Register of Deeds, the particular part that should indicate the title number of the immediately preceding title was suppressed, while the photocopy of the Owner’s Duplicate copy submitted by ABS-CBN contained the following information: ‘this certificate is a transfer from Transfer Certificate of Title No. 110731/T-557,’” the resolution states. 

“This simply means that the alleged present title of ABS-CBN (TCT No. 125702), is a transfer or immediately precedes, from Transfer Certificate of Title No. 110731/T-557.”

Marcoleta further argues that the land title “pertains to a property with a totally different technical description, location, and area, rendering it difficult, if not impossible, to be the immediate predecessor of ABS-CBN’s title.”

Plot to Take Over ABS-CBN’s Complex

It can be remembered that on July 17, a leaked Zoom conference which involved representatives Marcoleta, Mike Defensor, Dan Fernandez, and Jesus Crispin Remulla revealed a plot to take over ABS-CBN’s complex. 

“Yung titulo ang unahin natin,” Marcoleta said to fellow lawmakers at the Zoom meeting.

When the conversation turned to ABS-CBN’s equipment and facilities, they recognized these were all owned by the Lopezes.

“Dapat makuha natin agad iyon, kasi kung buo ’yung principal, yung lupa—wala silang mabubuhat dun. Lahat ng chattels dun, improvements, e, pag-aari na ng gobyerno iyon, sapagkat ang lupa ay sa gobyerno. Ang lupa, lahat dun, accessories. So, kapag tinake-over iyon, madali silang makakapagprograma dun,” Marcoleta could be heard saying.