This refers to the news item titled, ?Tillers file plunder raps vs Villars.? (Philippine Daily Inquirer, 9/29/08) The subhead stated ?Couple: Charges a rehash of dismissed case.?

Allow us to clarify that the two claimants referred to in the article as a ?farmers group,? namely, Gina Jarvana and Valentina Amador, are (and were) not farmers in the disputed farmlands. In fact, they belong to a group being used to stop the genuine farmers? groups from filing a case against spouses Sen. Manuel Villar and Rep. Cynthia Villar in connection with the farmlands in question.

In December 2007, we found out that our farmlands were among those mortgaged by the Villars to the central bank, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). We learned of this after discovering in the Register of Deeds that our title to the farmlands had been recalled by officials of Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) and Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO)-LMS Malolos. (In connection with this, we have filed a case with the Ombudsman against these government officials.)

Later, we wrote Senator Villar regarding the farmlands, but he ignored us. So, four months ago, we filed a case with the Ombudsman against the Villars. Until now, we are still waiting for an order requiring the Villars to submit their counter-affidavit. It is not true, therefore, for them to say that the charges are a rehash of a dismissed case.

The Villars got P2.8 billion; their spokesperson said the amount was P1.7 billion only; while the report said it was P1.5 billion. Whichever is the correct figure, there still would be an overpricing, given the fact that the assessed value of the property in question was only P2.00 per sq m at the time of purchase. Multiply land area (7,150,000 sq m) by P2.00, the value of the property would be P14.3 million only.

Three farmers? groups had claims to the property which includes (1) alienable and disposable lands, (2) the ancestral domain (claimed by Dumagat tribal folk), and (3) public forest. Not a single hectare is mentioned as owned by a Villar corporation. This puts in question the statement of Rene Carreon, the BSP assistant governor for monetary operations, that the bank is still trying to thresh out the ownership questions on the property so they could sell it, possibly back to the Villars. The fact is, a surveyor hired by the Villars made a report (dated June 19, 1995) stating that there were registered claimants to the land.

We would like to ask Carreon: Why did the BSP approve the loan and collaterals? Why did he sign the Consolidation of Ownership (dated Jan. 31, 2003) declaring that the BSP bought the farmlands at an auction sale for only P26,158,200? Was he aware that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources conducted an investigation upon a complaint of the Dumagat community, which led to the filing of a petition for annulment of the title of Manila Brickworks Inc., for being a fake?

Manila Brickworks Inc. was dissolved 35 years ago. How can it act as mortgagor in behalf of the Villars? On the other hand, how can lawyer Salvador Mallana, who represents Jarvana and Amador, say that Capitol Bank, which was sold to RCBC Savings Bank on Aug. 25, 1998, is now Optimum Development Bank?

JESSIE CAMPUGAN, ROBERT TORRES, RODGER TORRES