Pangasinan provincial assessor charged with graft in realty scam

Pangasinan Provincial Assessor Nestor Peralta Quiambao has been charged with graft before the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division due to the reportedly anomalous cancellation of a residential land’s tax declaration.

Quiambao was accused of violating Section 3(e) of R.A. 3019 or the Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act by Assistant Special Prosecutor III Jorge B. Espinal.

From September 2014 to March 2015, Quiambao allegedly acted with manifest partiality and evident bad faith when he criminally cancelled Tax Declaration No. 189 covering a parcel of residential land located in Bugallon, Pangasinan in the names of spouses Rodolfo and Veronica Javier without due notice, which is required under Section 223 of R.A. 7160 and the 2006 Manual on Real Property Appraisal and Assessment Operation.

Because of this, the property was reclassified from residential to an unirrigated riceland. Shortly after, the property was transferred to Josefina Calicdan.

Shortly after, the property was transferred to Josefina Calicdan. It was then that Quiambao “reverted the classification to residential,” the charge sheet read.

In doing so, Quiambao substantially increased the property’s market value from P32,300 to P605,700, therefore giving unwarranted benefit and advantage to Calicdan.

His bail bond has been set at P30,000.