Daily Tribune Written by Pat C. Santos Friday, 19 June 2015 http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/erap-shows-proof-lim-issued-torre-permits Former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada has accused his predecessor, former Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, of outright lying over Lim’s blaming Estrada for the construction of the controversial 49-story Torre de Manila which the Supreme Court ordered stopped last Tuesday. The building, which is a project of property developer DMCI Homes, was the subject of public criticism for being a “photo bomber” for spoiling the view on the monument of national hero Jose Rizal at the Luneta Park. At a press briefing, Estrada said it was Lim who had approved the project and who issued the building permit for the project on July 5, 2012, which was almost a year before Estrada was elected mayor in the 2013 elections. Estrada had proof of what he says–the permit from Lim for the Torre de Manila to build 49 floors. Estrada said it was Lim’s administration which violated City Ordinance 8119 which limits the construction of high-rise buildings in the area to at most seven floors. Estrada called Lim a liar as he showed mediamen a copy of the original building permit. Lim in a television interview admitted that he issued a building and zoning permit but only for 19 floors which was still in violation of the ordinance. A report on GMA News also showed DMCI Homes received its barangay clearance, zoning and building permits for the project in 2012 during Lim’s term. A report on the project posted in the DMCI Homes web page showed the project’s foundation was already 20 percent complete by July 15, 2013 when Estrada took over City Hall. Lim insisted, however, that Estrada should have halted its construction had he found something wrong in the project. “When they took over the project is already on its 19th floor, they ordered it stopped then they authorized it to continue, and even adding to it 27 floors, 27 floors plus 19, it became 46 floors. If the project was not in order, why continue it?”, Lim claimed. “The zoning and building permits acquired by DMCI Homes for Torre de Manila were issued during the previous administration,” said Councilor Joel Chua, former chairman of the City Council’s oversight committee during Lim’s term. Estrada said prior to the issuance of a building permit for the project to continue, the city government sought the opinion of the National Historical Commission. A Council Resolution 121 was then in effect enjoining city building officials to temporarily suspend the building permit on the Torre de Manila Project “until an acceptable development design is approved upon proper compliance with the standards and policy guidelines set by NHCP.” NHCP in a memorandum then cleared the project to continue. “The Torre de Manila project’s site is outside the boundaries and (789 meters) of the Rizal Park monument hence it cannot possibly obstruct the front view of the said National monument,” according to the NHCP memo. “To prevent a recurrence of similar dilemma in the future, the NHCP respectfully recommends to the city government of Manila the enactment of an ordinance designating a buffer zone around Rizal park and prescribing guidelines regulating building development,” NHCP Exec Director Ludovico Badoy said then. Chua who initiated a public hearing on the opposition to the project said during public hearings his panel scheduled, none of the heads of city planning, engineering and zoning departments responsible for the issuance of permits on the project failed to appear invoking executive privilege. Chua added that a resolution based on an existing ordinance that limited the height of building to not more than seven floors was vetoed by Lim when the session of the City Council was already in recess during the 2013 campaign period. Estrada said he is not against the construction of the project as long as it complied with existing laws since the project generates jobs for Manila residents. A copy of the building permits were furnished to reporters including a zoning permit dated June 19 approved by city planning and development officer Resty Rebong and a photocopy of building permit 01-2012-001148-NC dated July 5, 2012 signed by office of the building official Melvin Balagot.