IN THE KNOW

JULIAN Tallano, purportedly an “heir” of native chieftains Rajah Soliman and Lapu-Lapu and a descendant of King Luisong Tagean, claims to be the rightful owner of the entire Philippine archipelago, which the “royal clan” purportedly acquired through the original Certificate of Title No. 01-4, supposedly the very first title issued to the country in 1764.

In April 2002, the Court of Appeals stopped Tallano from claiming the entire archipelago through three spurious land titles, with the Second Division issuing a temporary restraining order on a Pasay City court ruling validating Tallano’s claim.

The temporary restraining order was on the three orders of Pasay City Judge Ernesto Reyes dated July 7, 1997, July 11, 2001, and Oct. 8, 2001, which Tallano and his lawyers have reportedly used to “harass” property owners.

Also in April 2002, then Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. called the attention of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to the Pasay court ruling which awarded the Philippine archipelago to Tallano, after a representative of Tallano went to the mayor’s office showing titles that said he owned Quezon City.

Tallano claimed he descended from a King Luisong Tagean whose sons included Rajah Soliman and Lapu-Lapu. The Philippines, he said, was a grant from the British government to Tallano’s “royal ancestor” for his help in conquering the Philippine Islands in the 1700s.

Tallano’s party claimed that in February 1972, then Court of First Instance Judge Enrique Agana issued a decision recognizing Tallano’s claim to the Philippines.

Tallano’s party said records of the decision were among the documents destroyed in a fire that gutted Pasay City Hall in January 1992 and the Pasay City Regional Trial Court had to reconstitute the case in July 2001. It purportedly became “final and executory” on Nov. 7, 2001.

In July 2007, Tallano sued former President Joseph Estrada for plunder. The complaint involved the “Erap City” mass housing project in Montalban, Rizal province, which Tallano claimed to own.

In November 2002, persons claiming to be heirs of the Madrigal clan accused the Muntinlupa government of grabbing from them at least two pieces of property.

The petitioners included members of the Acopiado family—Rogelio, Alfredo, Fernando, Roberto, Alicia, Ester and Elena—and Trinidad Pudiño vda. De Acopiado, who claimed to be heirs of Don Anacleto Madrigal Acopiado.

A part of the contested property involved a 9-hectare property donated to the Muntinlupa City government by former President Fidel Ramos.

Sources: Inquirer Archives