Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 28) — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested several individuals on Tuesday for allegedly selling inalienable land in Boracay.

In a press release on Wednesday, it said the subjects, Gina Talapian, Lorelei Tarrosa, Atty. Jacqueline Anne Yao, Jason Lacson and Chuanlin Yang, were apprehended in an entrapment operation in a Pasay City Hotel.

Talapian had allegedly offered a 7,988-square meter property in Brgy. Balabag to a corporation in 2016 after claiming she was one of the heirs to the property.

The corporation decided to purchase the property, believing it was owned by Talapian. It paid for the property on an installment basis after it found the property had estate tax issues that had not been settled yet.

In January 2017, the heirs, represented by Talapian and the corporation executed the contract to sell the property.

However, the company discovered in March that the said property was classified as "forest lands."

By then, the complainant-corporation had already paid a total down payment of P38,500,000.00 to Talapian.

In August 2017, the corporation further discovered the land in question was "inalienable," meaning it can't be surrendered by the government, or titled to any person or private individual.

The corporation then decided to stop further payments in September, but Talapian's group still demanded another seven million pesos.

Following this, the complainant enlisted the help of the National Bureau of Investigation, which led to the subjects' arrest.

Talapian and her companions are now facing syndicated estafa charges.

Speaking to media, Talapian said her family is in possession of a tax declaration, labelling the land as "tourist zone" but added they're still "verifying" it.

She admitted, however, that even if the status of the land was already problematic, she still proceeded with the deal.

"Kasi pinaglalaban namin yung as a claimant kami. Kasi nga may tax declaration kami. Tax dec namin is tourist zone. Yun yung pinaglalaban namin," she said.

[Translation: We had argued we were claimaints since we have a tax declaration. The tax declaration says it's a tourist zone, so we're fighting for that.]

She added, they are willing to return the money to the corporation.

The NBI, meanwhile, said the buyer also had its shortcomings.

"Ang naging lapse nung complainant natin yung due diligence nila nahuli… Parang lumalabas yung complainants natin masyadong bullish. Masyadong excited na mag acquire ng property," NBI Anti Organized and Transnational Division Chief Dennis Siyhian said.

[Translation: The complainant had lapses because its due diligence came later. It makes it look like the complainants were too bullish and excited to acquire the property.]

NBI Spokesperson Ferdinand Lavin warned the public to be more cautious with dealings, especially with property transactions.

The arrest comes as the government enforces stricter environmental regulations in Boracay following President Rodrigo Duterte's directive to clean up the world-famous tourist destination.

An interagency task force created to head the Boracay clean up has proposed the temporary closure of the island to make way for its rehabilitation.