DMCI sues NCCA over Torre de Manila damages

Torre de Manila obstructs the skyline view behind the iconic Rizal Monument in Luneta Park (Bernard Testa / Facebook)

MANILA – How the tables have turned.

DMCI Homes and DMCI Project Developers Inc.

– the developers of the embattled Torre de Manila condominium – is now suing the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) for P27 million in damages.

DMCI claims that the NCCA’s the cease and desist order (CDO) issued in January this year brought about the termination of construction of the 49-story building.

Part of the petition reads, “the issuance of the CDO is a wrongful act that caused undue injury to the said entities, both of whom are entitled to the completion of a lawful construction project that complies with all the requirements of the law.

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The 27-million-peso petition, including a temporary restraining order (TRO) on NCCA’s CDO was filed Monday at the Makati Regional Trial Court.

“They want to collect damages from us when in fact, they never stopped despite the CDO we issued. It’s ridiculous and we will definitely oppose it,” said Trixie Angeles in a report from the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Angeles is NCCA’s legal counsel on all cases regarding DMCI and Torre de Manila.

“This case has already been dismissed by the Makati Regional Trial Court earlier this year, but for some reason, DMCI filed an appeal and the case was revived again. With the NCCA as a quasi-judicial body, the proper course should have been to file this in the Court of Appeals,” Angeles said about DMCI maintaining their claims that they followed all the procedures prior to construction.

As of posting, DMCI is yet to issue a response to the NCCA’s comments.