In his letter dated July 10, Cruz told Rosario that the transaction is “highly questionable and suspicious and those responsible must be held accountable and responsible especially when a moratorium is in place.”
Cruz was referring to the two public lands with lot numbers 030-J05 and 030-J03 located at Stanford, Baranda Lane in San Vicente. The lots have an area of 936 sq.m. and 937 sq.m.
“How is it possible that these properties were issued to two sisters next door to each other?” Cruz asked Del Rosario.
Cruz didn’t identify the two beneficiaries.
Earlier, Taotano Tano asked DPL legal counsel Braddock Huesman to investigate the “improper awarding of public lands,” saying the “issues we are raising are of serious nature and your cooperation is requested and needed.”
He told Huesman that the Attorney General’s Office is looking into the improper disposal of public lands when the governor abolished DPL’s predecessor, the Marianas Public Land Authority.
According to Cruz, the AGO said that “anyone who had committed unfaithful acts and misconduct in public office will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Cruz said if DPL is being managed by a legal counsel who reviews all its documents for legal sufficiency, “then the two of you [Huesman and Del Rosario] should have known and if so then both of you are liable — not just the individuals who committed such acts.”
Cruz told Variety that a house has been constructed on one of the lands in question.
The construction has a building permit number BSC-08R-S-047 and was issued on April 5, 2008 by the Department of Public Works.
Despite the moratorium on homesteads, Cruz said that as of Oct. 31, 2007, DPL’s record showed 61 “active permittees and 111 “deeded.”
