THE Commission on Audit (COA) has affirmed its January 31, 2020 decision that denied a Nueva Ecija landowner’s P9.96 million compensation claim against the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) for lack of jurisdiction.
In a unanimous en banc ruling, the COA declared that the motion for reconsideration filed by claimant Idelpidio Castañeda for payment of the remaining balance of just compensation for land and crop damage cannot be given due course for failure to cite justifiable grounds.
“The CP unanimously dismissed the Motion for Reconsideration for failure to raise any new matter or other sufficient ground to justify a reconsideration of the assailed decision,” the COA Commission Proper (CP) said.
In his petition filed on August 28, 2018, Castañeda acknowledged having received P7.32 million from NIA as of 2012, but said there was an unpaid balance of P9.96 million since his full claim amounted to P17.28 million.
The claim was based on the adverse impact on the landowner’s farm of the construction of the Palusapis Diversion Road for the Calinat Dam irrigation project in 1998 under the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems (UPRIIS).
Castañeda said the land measuring 5.472 hectares was dedicated to rice, corn, and onion farming but the irrigation project rendered the farm unproductive due to turbulent current/streamflow that washed away the tillable surface.
Inspections conducted by the NIA-UPRIIS to assess land and crop damages from 1998 to 2010 pegged the cost at P18.633 million.
However, records showed the claimant issued three quitclaims dated November 21, 2012, December 19, 2012, and December 21, 2012 after he received two checks worth P4.082 million and P3.24 million. The special allotment release order from which the checks were drawn against stated that it covered “full settlement of the cost of land and crop damages.”
Castañeda however said the P7.32 million was only a partial compensation for his claim. He added that he received assurances from the NIA management that the full P17.28 million would be paid as soon as it is released by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
The COA Commission Proper held that the claim partakes of the nature of an expropriation proceeding which is outside its jurisdiction and needs to be brought before the trial courts.
Castañeda was advised to file a formal case in court that can determine the amount of just compensation he is entitled to.