Bureau of Local Government Finance Opinion

August 6, 2002 BUREAU OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE OPINION Mr . Bienvenido S . Cosmiano 8316 Madrid, Surigao del Sur S i r : This refers to your letter dated October 31, 2001, requesting assistance concerning the transfer of tax declaration for a particular real property (Agricultural Land) covered by an unregistered Deed of Sale. The abovementioned request is being made in view of the intention of the present buyer to register the Deed of Sale with the Registrar of Deeds for purposes of transferring in his name the tax declaration covering the said property, and eventually be able to pay the real property taxes due thereon. Apparently, after several transfers have been made on the subject property to date, the Deed of Sale remains unregistered with the Registrar of Deeds. In this connection, please be informed that a Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) would inevitably be required by the Municipal Assessor's Office concerned in effecting the said transfer of tax declaration from the previous owner to the new owner of the said property. DaIAcC In view hereof, and as much as we would like to be of help, this Bureau believes that it could not simply amend the existing laws, rules and regulations on the transfer of tax declaration to suit a particular property of particular person, for a particular purpose. In view of the foregoing, and considering the need for further evaluation of other missing data/information on the issue raised, this Bureau advises you to seek the assistance of a lawyer to further resolve the legal complexities of the herein subject matter. This Bureau, therefore, regrets that your abovementioned request cannot be given due course for lack of legal basis. Very truly yours, (SGD.) JUANITA D. AMATONG Undersecretary and Officer-in-Charge, BLGF