The Division of Public Lands is asking the Superior Court to evict alleged trespassers occupying a piece of public land in Garapan.<\/p>\n
Representing the public lands division, Asst. Atty. Gen. Thomas Clifford filed yesterday a motion for summary judgment in favor of DPL.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
DPL said it earlier ordered Matthew and other occupants to vacate the land, but they remain there “in open defiance of the law.”<\/p>\n
“DPL’s title to public land is clear and certain,” Clifford’s motion stated. “Mr. Matthew is a trespasser.”<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Iginof later signed a deed in which she released her rights, title, and interest for the premises.<\/p>\n
Since then, DPL said it has not given any private person to enter that property.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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