The local government unit of Nasugbu in Batangas has intensified its opposition to ownership claims by listed firm Roxas and Co. Inc. over large tracts of land it disputes with 50,000 local residents and agrarian reform beneficiaries.
In a resolution sent to the Batangas Provincial Board on 22 May, the Nasugbu Municipal Council has declared as persona non grata the board of directors and officers of RCI, including the Roxas, Elizalde, Madrigal and Montinola families.
The resolution also called on authorities to suspend any RCI-initiated business permit or project in Nasugbu, Batangas and those who support the company.
The resolution also called on government agencies and other institutions to withdraw financial support to RCI until its obligations to agrarian reform beneficiaries are resolved.
The agencies include the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Land Bank of the Philippines, Development Bank of the Philippines and other institutions, including the Bank of the Philippine Islands, Ayala Land Inc., Ayala Corp., Stonebridge Corp. and the Catholic Church.
The resolution came a week after the Nasugbu LGU called to foreclose on the Roxas haciendas over alleged unpaid real property tax and rising tension in the dispute between RCI and the agrarian reform beneficiaries.
RCI on Thursday said it has not received any official statement of account, notice or billing from either the municipal government of Nasugbu or the Batangas provincial government.
“To clarify, RCI is updated with its real property tax payments involving the properties in Nasugbu which have been declared exempt from CARL (Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law) coverage, with finality, and which were in our possession and control,” the company said in regulatory filing.
“As regards the properties that have been recovered by the company and settled with finality by the Department of Agrarian Reform early this year, RCI has already coordinated with, and requested with the relevant government offices, for the official computation of real property tax due,” it said.
Three days earlier, the Batangas Provincial Board heard the complaint against the Roxas haciendas in Nasugbu, Batangas, in Barangays Aga, Kaylaway, Cogonan, Tumalim, Banilad, Bilaran, Reparo, Lumbangan and Catandaan.
