Governor scraps land purchase for CPSU Moises Padilla campus

MOISES PADILLA, Negros Occ. — Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson has officially terminated the provincial government’s plan to purchase a 2-hectare lot for the Central Philippine State University (CPSU) campus in Moises Padilla, citing legal issues and uncooperative conduct from the seller.

The governor’s decision, outlined in a letter dated July 28, 2025, to landowner Francisco Nazareno, Jr., was the culmination of a lengthy process that began when Moises Padilla Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo sought the provincial government’s help.

The local government could not afford the landowner’s asking price, prompting the provincial government to step in.

According to Mayor Garcia-Yulo, the CPSU administration had appealed to her for assistance because their Usufruct contract with Nazareno had expired in 2017.

Under the original 10-year agreement, which began in 2007, all structures built by CPSU on the property would become Nazareno’s unless the university purchased the land.

The contract’s expiration left the campus in a legal limbo, leading to the attempted sale.

The provincial government’s withdrawal from the deal was based on a comprehensive review by the Provincial Legal Office, which highlighted three key issues.

First, the governor’s letter noted “discrepancies between [Nazareno’s] declared Tax Identification Number (TIN) and your date of birth,” raising concerns about the accuracy of his records.

A more significant legal hurdle was the absence of spousal consent on the Deed of Sale.

Citing the Family Code of the Philippines, the governor’s office stated that because the transaction involved conjugal property, the Deed of Sale was “rendered void and without legal effect” without the written consent of Nazareno’s spouse.

Lastly, the letter cited Nazareno’s “adversarial and uncooperative conduct” throughout the negotiation process.

The governor noted a lack of “sincere engagement” from the landowner, despite the provincial government’s efforts to assist with appraisals, document preparation, and coordination with CPSU and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

The final reason for the withdrawal was Nazareno’s own verbal statement that he no longer wished to pursue the sale, which the governor stated left “no legal or practical basis to move forward with the transaction.”

The Provincial Legal Office has since recommended a full stop to the deal.

The withdrawal leaves the future of the CPSU-Moises Padilla campus uncertain.

The provincial government has not yet announced its next steps or whether it will seek an alternative location to secure a permanent home for the university campus.* (CDG)