Ateneo files graft raps vs QC council over SM condo

One of the country’s top universities along with some upscale communities are taking the Quezon City government to court for allowing high-rise development in an already densely populated area of the city.

Ateneo de Manila University and residents of subdivisions in the Loyola Heights area are set to file graft charges Wednesday against the Quezon City council for granting SM Development Corp. (SMDC) a permit to build a 42-story condominium on the traffic-choked intersection of Aurora Boulevard and Katipunan Avenue despite zoning prohibitions.

In a statement, the university said residents of La Vista, Varsity Hills, Villa Aurora and Xavierville II will file a complaint against the city council “for granting SMDC’s Blue Residences undue advantage and unwarranted benefits and privileges” when it exempted the firm from zoning restrictions.

Ateneo vice president for administration and planning Edna Franco is expected to lead the group in bringing the case to the Office of the Ombudsman.

“The complaint is centered on violations by the 17th Quezon City Council of Republic Act No. 3019 which is the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Among the provisions they violated were: “Giving any private party unwarranted benefits” [Section 3 (e)] and “knowingly approving or granting any license … privilege … in favor of any person” [Section 3 (j)],” the Ateneo said.

Students and residents of Loyola Heights have protested the construction of SM Blue, a residential building fast rising in their neighborhood. The Loyola communities have contended that zoning regulations only allowed buildings up to 24 floors in the area.

On its website, SMDC calls SM Blue the “latest student hub” in Quezon City envisioned to cater to students of Ateneo, Miriam College and the University of the Philippines.

But the Ateneo said the Quezon City council decided to exempt SMDC from zoning restrictions in just one day without consulting the affected communities.

SMDC earlier said that all the required documents were submitted and approved before they started building the structure.