Contractor sued for illegal demolition in Manila

MANILA, Philippines —  The Manila city government yesterday filed criminal charges against a construction company for illegally demolishing the Rizal Avenue Sports Athletics Complex in Sta. Cruz district.

Mayor Isko Moreno said the contractor, Jelsie Construction and Supply Inc., demolished the sports complex to build a P145.5-million multipurpose building in the district.

No permits for the demolition and construction were secured by the contractor, he noted.

Charges of malicious mischief, unlawful demolition as well as construction and unauthorized taking of a government facility were filed against the firm before the city prosecutor yesterday.

Among the complainants are Manila City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office chief Arnel Eustacio Angeles, general services officer Thelma Perez, city engineer Armando Andres and Office of the Building Official enforcement division chief Juanito Cunanan.

On Aug. 21, Moreno ordered the padlocking of the construction site and confiscation of equipment.

Moreno claimed that his ally-turned-rival Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua is behind the infrastructure project.

Chua denied Moreno’s accusation, saying the Department of Public Works and Highways funded the project.

At yesterday’s press conference, Moreno said the sports complex was built in 1910 and later redeveloped into an all-weather covered court in 1995 under former mayor Alfredo Lim.

The infrastructure project, awarded to the contractor in May, was “never submitted to the city government for necessary permits or clearances,” Moreno pointed out.