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Couple spends P500K to fix foreclosed house ransacked by previous owner


A couple was dismayed to see the house they won from Pag-IBIG’s bidding to be in very poor condition after its previous owner ransacked the property.

According to Jonathan Andal’s report in 24 Oras, the couple had to shell out around P500,000 to repair the foreclosed property.

“Ang reason daw po nung dating owner is dahil hindi daw po namin sila napagbigyan na mag-stay hanggang January 30, gusto nilang mag Pasko and New Year dito sa bahay,” one of the victims said.

(The reason of the previous owner is that we were not able to give them a chance to stay here until January 30, because they wanted to spend Christmas and New Year in the house.)

“E meron nang papalit sa amin din doon sa nirerentahan namin. Kaya naipit na rin po kami,” she added.

(But a new tenant was already waiting replace us in the house we used to rent, so we were caught in a bind.)

The couple said they bought the house for P2.9 million after it was foreclosed due to the previous owner’s failure to make property payments for 10 months.

The downpayment was only P15,000, while the monthly payment for 30 years should only be P19,000.

However, the couple had to spend more than they should have after the previous owner removed the doors and smashed the walls to dismantle the windows. The toilet, sink, faucets, and even the electrical cables were removed.

The previous owner also poured cement into the drainage of the residence.

The new owners also have to buy a new electric meter which was also taken away by the last owner.

Aside from the considerable damage caused to the house, the new owners were also saddled with an unsettled water bill amounting to P4,000.

“Hinugot na namin yung ano namin sa insurance, yung savings namin, simot na,” one of the owners lamented.

(We had to use our money from our insurance and we have nothing left in our savings.)

Pag-IBIG said the previous owner committed theft and vandalism.

“Wala ho talagang karapatan yung prior occupant na kunin o sirain ang alinmang bagay doon sa nasabing property sapagkat iyun po ay pag-aari na ng nakabili,” said Domingo Jacinto Jr., Pag-IBIG Fund Vice President for Public and Member Relations.

(The prior occupant has no right to destroy or get anything from the property because there are already new owners.)

“Nakasaad po dito sa Notice to Vacate na bawal niya hong galawin o bawal niya po i-vandalize o nakawan yung nasabing property,” he added.

(It was stated in the Notice to Vacate that the prior owner could not vandalize the property.)

The couple won their case in the first trial which led to the eviction of the previous owner.

The new owners are also hoping Pag-IBIG could reassess the value of the house after the previous owner ransacked it. But the government office said that it’s impossible to reassess the property’s value given that the damages were caused by the last owner.

“Yung reassessment hindi na natin siya magagawa sapagkat ang sumira o yung gumawa ng mga bagay na ito ay yung prior occupant,” said Jacinto.

(It’s impossible to do a reassessment because the damages were done by the prior occupant.)

“Makakaasa po kayo na kami po ay lalapit at makikipag ugnayan po sa inyo, maging po sa paghabol doon sa prior occupant,” he added.

(But you can be assured that we will reach out to you and run after the prior occupant.)

GMA Integrated News is open to hear the side of the previous owner who can no longer be contacted by the couple. —Vince Angelo Ferreras/RF, GMA Integrated News