DPL ASKS COURT: Kick 'trespassers' out of public land

The Division of Public Lands is asking the Superior Court to evict alleged trespassers occupying a piece of public land in Garapan.

Representing the public lands division, Asst. Atty. Gen. Thomas Clifford filed yesterday a motion for summary judgment in favor of DPL.

The public lands division said that Dien Matthew and 10 other unnamed co-respondents, who are presently occupying the property in question, do not have legal claim on the land measuring a total of 2,207 square meters and divided into three lots.

DPL said it earlier ordered Matthew and other occupants to vacate the land, but they remain there “in open defiance of the law.”

“DPL’s title to public land is clear and certain,” Clifford’s motion stated. “Mr. Matthew is a trespasser.”

According to a testimony by Gregory P. Deleon Guerrero, compliance supervisor of DPL, a land registration survey has confirmed that no person has been assigned to the public land in question since it was acquired by the Trust Territory government from a private citizen in 1956.

The piece of land originally belonged to Margarita Iginof, who was granted a title of ownership in October 1952 by the Trust Territory of Pacific Islands, Office of the High Commissioner.

In 1955, Iginof and the Trust Territory government entered into an agreement to exchange land properties, thus giving the government the right to the property acquired by Iginof.

Iginof later signed a deed in which she released her rights, title, and interest for the premises.

Since then, DPL said it has not given any private person to enter that property.