Robinsons Land included as respondent in forfeiture case vs. Romualdezes

The Sandiganbayan has allowed Robinsons Land Corporation to be included as a respondent in an ill-gotten wealth forfeiture case against former Tacloban City mayor Alfredo Romualdez and his wife Agnes.

In a 10-page resolution, the anti-graft court's Third Division admitted the government's amended supplemental petition, granting the inclusion of Robinsons Land Corporation as another respondent to the case along with the Romualdezes, Romson Realty, Inc. R&S Transport, Inc., Fidelity Management, Inc. and Dio Island Resort.

Filed in 1996, the civil case seeks to recover several properties allegedly acquired illegally by the Romualdez couple and the respondent corporations.

The government, in its motion, argued that Robinsons Land Corporation should be impleaded in the case after Romson Realty, Inc. consolidated and transferred under the former's name 42 of the properties listed in the original petition.

It noted that the inclusion of Robinsons Land Corporation as one of the respondents is important to finally determine the nullity of the 42 properties transferred from Romson Realty, Inc.

But Alfredo Romualdez, in opposition to the government's motion, argued that it is unnecessary to implead Robinsons Land Corporation, saying that the latter is not an indispensable party to the case.

"The issues of whether or not the subject properties are ill-gotten, and whether or not they can be forfeited in favor of the state are matters that can be determined in the absence of Robinsons in the case," Romualdez said as quoted in the court's resolution.

The former Tacloban City mayor also argued that the issue of nullification of titles transferred to Robinsons is a "direct attack" on the corporation, adding that such matter should be resolved by a Regional Trial Court.

The court, however, sided with the government's motion of impleading Robinsons Land Corporation.

"Verily, Robinsons, as the transferee of Romson, stands to lose ownership of the subject properties if the same will be declared forfeited in favor of the State. Hence, this Court finds that impleading Robinsons as respondent will protect its right to due process, as well as avoid multiplicity of suits," the court's resolution read.

The company declined to comments on the matter. "We have no comment. Thank you," the property developer said in a text message to GMA News Online on Tuesday.

The court maintained that it has exclusive jurisdiction over cases involving ill-gotten wealth, "including all incidents arising from, incidental to, or related to such cases."

"Here, the properties transferred by Romson to Robinsons are subject of the Sequestration Order dated April 14, 1986. The said properties are part of the allegedly ill-gotten wealth acquired by respondent Alfredo T. Romualdez, which are now sought to be recovered by petitioner Republic," the court said.

"Thus, impleading Robinsons as additional respondent is not improper," it added.

The court ordered the respondent corporations to file a reply to the amended supplemental petition within 15 days from notice of its resolution, while the government was given 10 days to comment on the respondents' reply. — With Jon Viktor Cavbeunas/BM, GMA News