WITH an additional claim of $252,000, the CNMI government’s total obligation for land compensation has risen to $10.9 million.
Earlier this month, the total amount due to landowners stood at $10.7 million in long-standing and newly validated claims for the taking of privately owned lands for public purposes, including right-of-ways.
On Wednesday, Department of Public Lands Administrative Hearing Officer Ramon S. Dela Cruz issued an order requiring the Commonwealth to pay landowners Juan M. Sablan and wife Barbara T. Sablan $252,000.08 for the acquisition of their land, plus 3% annual interest. The amount is more than twice the base value of $103,000 when the land was taken on May 1, 1995, when the Department of Public Works built a road on the property.
DPL Secretary Sixto Igisomar informed Gov. David M. Apatang that the total number of fully executed land compensation judgments is now 20, with a combined obligation of $10,991,800.24.
Igisomar, however, emphasized that DPL “is not authorized to use its revenues to pay land claims or court judgments, and such expenditures remain the responsibility of the CNMI general fund, as affirmed by the CNMI Supreme Court in DPL v. Commonwealth.”
Igisomar requested that the additional judgment be included in the pending appropriation for judgments against the CNMI government.
