Attorney: Feds' Land Trust lawsuit against Guam politically motivated
One of the attorneys who represented late activist and former Sen. Angel Santos in a 1992 Superior Court of Guam lawsuit that forced the local government to implement the Chamorro Land Trust Act, said the recent federal lawsuit against the Land Trust Act is a political move.
Attorney Mike Phillips, along with attorney Therese Terlaje and then-attorney Michael Bordallo represented Santos in the 1992 suit against then-Gov. Joseph Ada, to force the governor to implement the Land Trust, which was created by local law in 1975.
The Chamorro Land Trust Act was upheld then, and Phillips said it should be upheld now.
The U.S. Department of Justice on Sept. 29 filed a lawsuit against the government of Guam and Chamorro Land Trust Commission in federal court for discriminating against non-Chamorros by enforcing the Chamorro Land Trust Act, the suit states.
The Land Trust holds public land for native Chamorros who can lease land for agriculture or residential purposes at a rate of $1 a year for 99 years. The commission also leases land to non-Chamorros for commercial purposes.
Read more: http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2017/10/15/attorney-feds-land-trust-lawsuit-politically-motivated/760228001/