Envoy in land row

Philippine Ambassador to Portugal Philippe Lhuillier continues to claim ownership of a piece of land in Makati City despite a Supreme Court order awarding the land to his opponent.

The high court has ruled that Roberto Santos, 74, a retired San Miguel Corp. employee, owns the 346-square-meter lot on Nicanor Garcia St. corner Kalayaan Ave. in Barangay San Miguel.

Lhuillier bought the land from a person who allegedly forged Santos’ signature.

When Santos protested, a court battle ensued between him and the owner of 1,500 Cebuana Lhuillier pawnshops throughout the country.

A Makati regional trial court favored Santos over Lhuillier, who elevated the case to the Court of Appeals.

The appellate court affirmed the Makati court’s decision, prompting Lhuillier to go to the Supreme Court.

The high tribunal ruled the land belongs to Santos, but Lhuillier has not abandoned his claim to the lot.

Santos fenced the property after the high court decision, but the ambassador reportedly destroyed the fence and posted guards on the land.

Cases of trespassing, malicious mischief, grave threats, grave coercion, robbery and slight physical injuries (Santos was allegedly manhandled by Lhuillier’s guards) have been filed against the ambassador.

Lhuillier countered by filing trespassing charges against Santos.

How can one be charged with trespassing on his own property?

Clearly, Lhuillier is using his power and influence against an ordinary citizen.

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Janet Lim-Napoles is not the only one involved in manipulating the pork barrel and turning it into a multibillion-peso scam.

She was the only one caught with her finger in the government jar.

There were three others who had been dipping their dirty fingers into the government jar, but were not caught.

One of the alleged culprits is a road contractor in Bicol who has built a multimillion-peso resort and casino complex in Albay province, which has acquired international stature.

The guy is also one of the owners of a five-star hotel on Roxas Blvd., Pasay City.

One of my sources in Albay said the owner of the resort complex is a crony of Mike Arroyo, husband of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

If the allegations are true, compared to this contractor, Napoles is a small fry.

One can just imagine how much money has been defrauded from the government through the pork barrel and other scams.

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Newly elected Puerto Princesa City Mayor Cecilio Bayron doesn’t seem to have a word of honor.

In a dialogue last month between him and former Mayor Edward Hagedorn, Bayron said he would keep the political peace in the city after defeating Ellen Hagedorn, Edward’s wife.

This columnist, who owns a farm in “the city within a forest,” and businessman Roque Breboneria sponsored the dialogue in a bid to keep the city’s momentum of progress.

Hagedorn has made the city known to the rest of the world as a tourist destination. Because of it, visitor arrivals are at their peak.

Bayron broke his promise and fired the opening salvo by telling constituents in his “state of the city address” that Hagedorn left the city bankrupt.

How could Bayron accuse Hagedorn of leaving the city bankrupt when he was Hagedorn’s vice mayor?

Every move Hagedorn made when it came to finances needed the approval of the city council, of which Bayron was the presiding officer as the town’s vice mayor.