SC issues TRO on UP-Ayala technohub sale

Rappler.com

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SC issues TRO on UP-Ayala technohub sale
The High Court’s Second Division says the injunction is effective immediately until further orders

MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court issued on Tuesday, September 30, a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the Quezon City government’s plan to sell the University of the Philippines-Ayala Land Technohub.

The property was supposed to be auctioned in November to compensate for the P117 million real estate taxes that UP allegedly owes the city.

The High Court’s Second Division said the injunction was effective immediately until further orders from the SC.

Meanwhile, the Quezon City government was ordered by the SC to answer the petition filed by UP within the next 10 days. The university petitioned to stop the city treasurer from proceeding with the sale of Technohub, citing that the university – under Republic Act 9500 or the UP Charter of 2008 – is “exempt from all taxes and duties of all revenues and assets “used for educational purposes or in support thereof.”

The claim was echoed by UP President Alfredo Pascual. “UP’s share in the revenues of the property as well as the lease paid by Ayala Land supplement the university’s budget,” he said.

The university argued that Technohub is an “instrumentality and property of the government, performing a governmental function,” hence shall be exempt from the payment of real property taxes.

The city treasurer notified UP about the planned sale in July. UP, however, claimed that it was given a notice of delinquency without a prior notice of assessment, hence preventing the university from seeking legal remedies. 

Role of Ayala Land

Technohub was designed as an information technology park, with an approval coming from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority.

The 380,630-square property along Commonwealth Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, was leased to Ayala Land Incorporated.

Since Ayala Land is the property’s lessee, UP said that the company is legally accountable to the unpaid real estate taxes. – Rappler.com 

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