QC to obey SC on UP Technohub sale

MANILA, Philippines - The Quezon City government will comply with a temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the Supreme Court (SC) stopping the auction of the Ayala Land Technohub property of the University of the Philippines (UP), an official said yesterday.

In a text message, Mayor Herbert Bautista said that they will comply with the SC order directing the city government to comment on the petition filed by the university, through the Office of the Solicitor General, before the high court.

Last week, UP filed a petition for certiorari and prohibition asking the SC to stop the planned sale of the 380,630-square meter property along Commonwealth Avenue. The SC second division issued the TRO on Tuesday.

The university leased the property to Ayala Land Inc. in 2006. It currently houses various commercial establishments, including a number of information technology companies.

Based on earlier reports, the Quezon City government planned to auction the property to compensate for the P117-million unpaid real estate taxes of the university.

The city government reasoned that the subject property became taxable when it started when private entities started utilizing it. However, UP maintained that it is exempted from payment of real property taxes, based on Republic Act 9500 or the UP Charter.