About a hundred elders who wish a progressive Sumalo for their children signed on Thursday a petition addressed to President Rodrigo Duterte for the land use conversion of Riverforest Development Corporation (RDC) property from agricultural to industrial.
“We have lived in this land for so many decades. Now, we want our children to live in progressive Sumalo”, they wrote in the petition.
They said for more than three decades, the development of the area is being blocked by a group of fake farmers.
“They are not genuine farmers as they claim”, written in the petition. “Their group illegally sells rights of parcels of lot, which is titled in the name of RDC”, petitioners wrote.
“Sadly, the group of pseudo farmers positioning themselves as victims was able to dupe and got backing”, they wrote.
RDC already started in 2011 the Deed of Donations of lots to qualified beneficiaries in Sumalo but was opposed.
The petitioners also wrote, “The Department of Agriculture that conducted a study in 1994 and recommended that Sumalo property is best suited for purposes other than agricultural purposes”.
Petition said the Supreme Court in August 2006 affirmed the first resolution of the Office of the President also called Torres Resolution approving the application of Litton Family for the conversion of the RDC property from agricultural to industrial. The opposing group, however, again sought intervention from the Office of the President, according to the petition.
“A Regional Trial Court recently approved the Petition For Declaratory Relief of RDC halting DAR to initiate processes to cancel the title of RDC property for inclusion in the government’s CARP program”, said the petition.
