Makati court orders Sunvar to vacate Mile Long property

August 15, 2017

A Makati court on Tuesday  ordered Sunvar Realty Development Corp. to vacate the areas located between Dela Rosa and Arnaiz Streets and parallel to Amorsolo Street in Legaspi Village known as Mile Long

Included in the  order from the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 141  are “all persons natural and juridical claiming rights under it.”

Sunvar is owned by the Rufino and Prieto families who are the publishers of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

The order was served by Solicitor General Jose Calida Jr. Tuesday afternoon.

“That’s it. We have served Sunvar,” said Calida in an ambush interview with the Daily Manila Shimbun video team.

A meeting of the tenants and owners was called by Alma Mallonga, Sunvar legal counsel.

Some tenants are Japanese restaurants.

“You are hereby given a period of three days from receipt hereof to surrender the possession of the above-described property together with all the improvements existing thereon or vacate the premises within such time, after which the undersigned shall place the petitioner in actual and physical possession thereof to duly satisfy the Writ of Execution,” said Sheriff Robert Bautista.

“You are further notified that failure on your part to comply with this notice, the undersigned shall be constrained to file the necessary civil and criminal action against you, “ an order from the Privatization and Management Office said.

Calida earlier said Sunvar owes the government P1.656 billion, exclusive of legal interest.

In the court order, Sunvar has been ordered to pay plaintiff back rentals as of May 2015 of 478,200, 600 with monthly rental of P3,209, 400 beginning June 2015 up to and until Sunvar has “finally vacated the premises as reasonable compensation for the use and vacancy of the premises.”

Calida said Sunvar occupied the 2.9 hectare Mile Long property on February 28, 1982, but the lease agreement expired on December 31, 2002.    Sunvar continued to occupy the property despite the expiration of the lease.

The  Court of Appeals recently sustained a decision last January allowing the government to regain possession of over 2.9 hectare Mile Long properties in Makati City from Sunvar Realty Development Corp. DMS