AFTER nearly four decades, the government has won an ill-gotten wealth case filed way back in July 1987 against the Estate and family of the late Muntinlupa mayor Maximino Argana over hundreds of real estate properties he acquired during his 15-year incumbency from 1964 to 1967 and from 1972 until his passing in June 1985.
In a 114-page per curiam decision dated August 18, 2025, the Sandiganbayan Third Division ordered the forfeiture in favor of the government of 224 lots located in the old Barrio Bagbagan, Alabang, Muntinlupa, all in the names of spouses Maximino Argana and Donata Almendrala.
Likewise covered by the court’s seize order were 10 lots in the province of Laguna also in the name of the couple; 19 lots in the names of Maria Remedios, Maria Felicidad, and Maria Dorotea Argana; two properties in the names of respondent spouses Milagros and Juanito Rogelio; a property in the name of respondent spouses Gelacio and Rosario Argana; five lots in the name of property development company Refedor Southgold Property Management and Development Corp.; three properties in Calamba and San Pedro, Laguna also registered to Refedor Southgold Property; three more properties in Putatan and Tunasan, Muntinlupa in the names of the late mayor and his widow and one in San Pedro, Laguna; a property in Tunasan, Muntinlupa in the name of spouses Luis and Rosario Argana; and Muntinlupa property in the name of souses Pedro and Amelia Marquinez.
Lastly, the court also forfeited in favor of the government shares of stocks in Sampaguita Savings and Loan Association Inc. listed under the name of mayor Argana and 5,000 shares of stocks in Refedor listed in the names of the mayor, his wife, and three children.
In declaring the covered assets as unexplained wealth, the Sandiganbayan noted that the combined value of the real properties amounted to P4,143,317.36 while the personal properties represented by the investments in the lending firm and property development company were assessed at P1,725,000.
In its computation, the anti-graft court said Argana’s salaries as mayor for 15 years only amounted to P392,228.53 while his allowances taken together only totaled P183,700.
His wife, who was a school teacher and later a school principal, had earnings totaling P159,417.14 from 1964 to 1986.
“Clearly, the total cost of the acquired properties of the Respondents from 1964 to 1967 and from 1972 up to his death in June 1985 of P5,868,317.36 is manifestly out of proportion to Mayor Argana and Donata’s income of P735,345.67. The total cost of the acquired properties is almost 700 percent of their supposed income,” the Sandiganbayan pointed out.
In 1997, the Philippine government almost lost the Argana properties in a fraudulent deal struck between the heirs of Argana and six officials of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG).
The PCGG, then under chairman Magtanggol Gunigundo, signed a Compromise Agreement with the Arganas in a supposed 75-25 division of the disputed assets, giving the State the bigger share.
Based on the submitted compromise deal, the government stood to receive 361.92 hectares (75.12 percent) out of the 481.774 hectares of Argana’s combined properties.
Then President Fidel Ramos approved the Agreement on May 27, 1998 while the Office of the Solicitor General expressed its conformity on June 15, 1998.
In its Decision dated July 31, 1998, the Sandiganbayan approved the Compromise Agreement only to rescind the same on April 11, 2000 after the new PCGG and OSG lawyers exposed that the court and the government were hoodwinked into accepting a lopsided deal in favor of the Arganas.
According to the PCGG-OSG, the total value of the 75.12 percent share of the government was only P3.62 million worth of farmlands, most of which were reportedly being eyed for coverage under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
On the other hand, the retention of the Argana family was supposedly valued at least P4 billion in 1998.
The Arganas tried to have the compromise deal enforced but were barred by the Supreme Court in a 2004 decision that declared the stricken deal “a virtual sell-out.”
In 2015, then Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales indicted six PCGG officials for their participation in crafting the rescinded deal.
They were Commissioners Gunigundo, Reynaldo Guiao, Hermilo Rosal, Julieta Bertuben and Herminio Mendoza, as well as former Director Mauro Estrada.
However, 10 years after the Ombudsman’s order to file charges, no case appears to have been filed with the Sandiganbayan against the said PCGG officials.
