SC urged: Discharge 3 agencies in Torre case

MANILA, Philippines - The National Museum (NM), National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) yesterday asked the Supreme Court (SC) to remove them as respondents in the case concerning the construction of the Torre de Manila Condominium.

The original petition, filed by the Knights of Rizal (KOR), asked the High Court to stop the construction by issuing a temporary restraining order and a writ of preliminary injunction.

The KOR believed that the condominium would ruin the sightline of the Rizal Monument.

The group also asked the SC to order the demolition of the condominium and issue a writ of pamana (heritage) or a writ of kasaysayan (history).

But in a resolution issued on Nov. 25, 2014 -– which the three agencies said they received on Dec. 2, 2014 – the SC included the NM, NHCP, and NCCA as respondents in the case.

In their consolidated comment, the agencies said the writs of pamana and kasaysayan do not exist under their current rules and the KOR failed to allege or establish any ministerial act that the three agencies failed to perform in connection with the construction of the Torre de Manila.

The NM said it may not be compelled to issue an order to stop the construction since it is only concerned with the monument, which is not in danger of being destroyed or significantly altered by the construction of the condominium, which is about 789 meters from the historic structure.

The NCCA issued on Jan. 5 a cease and desist order directing DMCI Homes to stop the construction of the condominium.