The Dreaded Property Disputes Begin

[manofthecoldland]

Even with all the legalities on your side, I have found that you still have to vigorously defend your properties against encroachment and irrational claims and actions.

If your wife is not a local of the area, you may be in for a hard go.

To defend our properties over the years, from trivial and minor issues at times.  my wife resorts to her full array of tools:  her barangay officials, local matriarch network, her lady lawyer friend, etc. Without local support it is possible, but much more difficult to resolve things safely and surely.

[BrettGC]

31 minutes ago, manofthecoldland said:

Even with all the legalities on your side, I have found that you still have to vigorously defend your properties against encroachment and irrational claims and actions.

If your wife is not a local of the area, you may be in for a hard go.

To defend our properties over the years, from trivial and minor issues at times.  my wife resorts to her full array of tools:  her barangay officials, local matriarch network, her lady lawyer friend, etc. Without local support it is possible, but much more difficult to resolve things safely and surely.

Same point my wife bought up when I discussed the OP's issue with her, if she's not local, she doesn't have the support network she'd have in her home town. 

Edited October 22, 2022 by BrettGC

[Onemore52]

When you think you have heard all of the BS, another one pops up.

My partners family had a sizeable property on the outskirts of the city and for some reason forgot to pay the taxes on it, until one of the enterprising daughters took it upon herself to play catch-up and pay the arrears. So off she goes to the municipal hall to inquire how much is owing, only to be told that there is nothing owing because they no longer own it.

Some enterprising mongrel had paid someone in the office to tell them what land was in default on taxes, so all this person had to do was pay the taxes and just like that they became the new owner.

Of course the person in the lands office lost their job, and the family that had been on the land for a few years cried foul and became the owner of a portion.

This really happened, and is just another story from what goes on. You can’t make this shite up.

 But I forgot to mention that one morning we went out to the block and there was the previous owner cutting down the coconut trees and the bamboo as well. Lucky for me my partner was with me and told me to back off.

Edited October 22, 2022 by Onemore52
Omissions

[Freebie]

8 hours ago, jlobrist said:

We will have to sell the property at some point now because I will never be safe going there. Apparently gold was found on property next to us. One of the neighbors just turned down an offer for P25mil compared to our price of P2.9mil. Maybe we can make a profit in the end. I’m not sure what else to do now but to complete the fence, and hope for the best. 

Sad how selfish some Filipions are.. They think they are big shots and can do as they like . Enititled , selfish and happy to take whats not theirs. Am sure the lovely neighbors already know the land is paid for an American who wont be going to Cavite. so they will push, heckle, threaten and take whats not theirs until you leave that land. Sad but true. And if you hire an army of goons to protect your land it still wont work. These sad individuals are worthless folks with loud mouths and dont understand a simple thing like "right" or "law". Its a country ewhere people try and do as they like until stopped. 

Run Forrest Run....your money is gone unless you can find someone willing to buy at cut price.. better cut price than cut throat.

[Possum]

We bought some land in the province. Owner provided the original survey and plat which we had verified by our own survey. Turns out the barangay hall was on the land. When questioned the barangay captain said the owner donated the land years ago. The owner said he had done no such thing and the land had been in the family for many years he inherited it , which all checked out. Most likely in the past some cousin needed a favor from the barangay and said,"Sure, you can build there" knowing the owner wasn't likely to return to the Philippines any time soon. Barangay captain couldn't produce a deed or tax records either.  Barangay tried to get us to give them a deed but didn't offer any money, so no deed. They then wanted us to get a building permit so they could make some improvements to the hall. We found that very amusing.  No we don't charge them rent but they do keep an eye on the land.

Edited October 22, 2022 by Greglm
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[hk blues]

7 hours ago, Onemore52 said:

Some enterprising mongrel had paid someone in the office to tell them what land was in default on taxes, so all this person had to do was pay the taxes and just like that they became the new owner.

Is that actually true? I'm not doubting your post but find it hard to believe that simply by paying defaulted taxes some random can buy up any amount of property.  If true then I'd imagine plenty of enterprising city Hall officials would be taking ownership of huge swathes of land for peanuts. 

Maybe they are!

[stevewool]

Wow after reading this and the replies, that’s another great idea I thought about gone up in smoke .

[hk blues]

14 hours ago, jlobrist said:

 Any suggestions?

I'm not sure why you are even contemplating options. Is it likely your wife will end up dead - no in my opinion. As everyone has said, land disputes are extremely common here as are murders as a consequence of them but there are many more land disputes than killings I'm wiling to wager. 

I'd not take the chance I'm wrong though. Especially considering the gold story which, true or not, makes things more "interesting,"

Take your money (if any) and move on and let your wife sleep easily at night.

[Onemore52]

5 hours ago, hk blues said:

Is that actually true? I'm not doubting your post but find it hard to believe that simply by paying defaulted taxes some random can buy up any amount of property.  If true then I'd imagine plenty of enterprising city Hall officials would be taking ownership of huge swathes of land for peanuts. 

Maybe they are!

It is the Philippines.

[Dave Hounddriver]

6 hours ago, hk blues said:

I'm not doubting your post but find it hard to believe that simply by paying defaulted taxes some random can buy up any amount of property. 

I have heard of that happening, but only anecdotally, and only when the taxes have not been paid for 10 years or more, and only on tax dec land.  It's Philippines.