DPL said the figures will increase as the Department of Public Works and other government agencies pursue additional acquisitions of private properties for public purposes.
DPL Secretary John S. Del Rosario Jr., in a report to House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Ray N. Yumul,R-Saipan, said the department’s function is “solely the facilitation of the processing of land claims and acquisitions.”
“It is the central government’s responsibility to locate funds for the acquisitions of private properties,” said Del Rosario.
The land compensation funds of the government have already been exhausted, he added.
He said some of the claims on right of ways have already been paid for under the Micronesian War Claims Act.
There’s a need to clarify two types of land — public land and government land.
He said public lands are private lands acquired for public purposes while government lands are for homesteads and land leases for business firms.
Del Rosario reported that the government has just completed two land compensation lawsuits.
These were the cases filed by Jose Camacho who was awarded monetary damages in the amount of $567,469 at 9 percent post-judgment interest per annum starting Nov. 10, 2005; and Antonio S. Camacho who was awarded $240,749 plus interest for a total of $262,714.
“The success of the Antonio Camacho impounding DPL funds is likely to open the floodgates of other claimants going to DPL accounts,” Del Rosario said. “This would instantly bankrupt DPL and nullify the basic fundamental policy of homestead development.”
There are two pending compensation lawsuits involving Ramon A. Tebuteb and the estate of Rita Rogolifoi, Del Rosario said.
