Letter to the Editor: How the Ypao Point property was taken from its owner

On Dec. 5, 2025, an article in the Pacific Island Times brewed unrest, focusing on David Herrera, who is seeking a permanent injunction on the proposed Ypao land transfer from the CHamoru Land Trust Commission to the heirs of Francisco D. Perez, the original landowner.

Guam Public Law 22-145 covenants should be consulted to understand Perez's rights to reacquire his property. His property should have been transferred to the Guam Ancestral Lands Commission and not the CHamoru Land Trust, a scheme I have yet to fathom. 

According to P.L. 22-145, Mr. Perez's property was deemed “excess” by the

government of Guam and by the governor herself. 

Carlton Skinner—who was appointed by President Truman and took  office 

in August 1949 as the first civilian governor of Guam—outlined his total intent on how he managed to acquire the property in an affidavit, noting that Mr.

Perez's compensation was not complete because of military interference.

In today's market, the Tamuning property is marketed with a full ocean view at about $243.13 to $500 per square meter, in accordance with the Guam Multiple Listing Service comparables.

I understand that Mr. David Herrera is trying to acquire a huge property for a

big solar farm. He approached me asking about the size of my land in Tiyan. Yes, that is his affair, but does it have anything to do with the immense size of this property in Ypao Point? Come on, Dave, stand in line.

I understand our governor's motive. I don't want to go into that issue because it is a battle she is currently facing. I am just thankful to her for pushing for the 

property's return. Many of our people have had to endure the hardships of losing their properties to the settling of U.S. troops on Guam.

Mr. Francisco Perez was one of them. After hearing his family's stories, I find it amazing how all our people survived. 

When I was a child, I remember my dad telling my mom that Mr. Perez had offered our family the chance to live in the new Perezville. I believe Mr. Perez wanted to house as many of his family and friends in his latest housing development free of the hardships of war. 

Guam was becoming new again, with renewed hope. Many of us had lost so much land and were starting fresh. Go ahead and take their stories of the survivors about what happened to them during the war. Each Chamoru person living in Perezville has their own history of war and loss.

I would also like to remind Mr. Herrera that the CHamoru Land Trust

Commission was created to resettle those families who were dispossessed

of their property from the war and not able to return to their lands. I feel that Mr. Perez was doing just that. He was always a kind and gentle man and raised his family this way. Our parents and grandparents were friends. Yes, our bloodlines meet as did other activists that I protested with about issues that affect our livelihood.

The era of Angel Santos and the formation of Nasion CHamoru took on an activist role to right many of the wrongs. One of these was the taking of land to settle military troops and establish new bases. Indigenous people were told to

leave their homes and seek property elsewhere without so much as a penny but full of promises uncompleted.

Thus, our island was ruled by an appointed governor, who was ruled by the military that knew how to take property without adequate compensation.

They tried to entice Mr. Perez with promises just to appease him after they took his land at Ypao Point. He was promised money, but he asked to include heavy equipment. 

The compensation was not commensurate with the value of his property. The promise of heavy equipment was denied because the U.S. Navy took it away from Gov. Skinner after the Army had given the equipment to the newly formed government of Guam. 

Mr. Skinner had written apologies about the loss of half of the agreement and so the taking of Mr. Perez's property became outright thievery. 

His family also told me that it took several years for Mr. Perez to receive compensation for the loss of his land. Please restudy the size of the taking and how and when his family was resettled. 

Mr. Francisco Perez and his family still need to have their just compensation satisfied. 

So, Mr. Herrera, are you willing to buy them the heavy equipment at today's value or have the government return his property?

Sen. Angel Santos knew that the family needed a remedy of some sort and introduced Bill 625, titled “An act for the rectification of injustice in the acquisition of private property for public use, the resolution of claims and

the establishment of a medical trust fund for the improvement of medical services and facilities at hospital point.”

It was passed unanimously by the legislature of 1996, but our acting governor, Madeleine Bordallo vetoed it.

Please right the wrong done to our people. We have so many who lost their properties with so much as a thumbprint. Many have lost their lives for the love of this island and family.

Senators, it is your responsibility to live up to the Guam Ancestral Lands Public Law 22-145. Please continue to serve, as I will continue to follow our bylaws as Nasion CHamoru maga'haga.

Catherine F. McCollum

Tamuning