Govt sues Inquirer owners for the return of Makati lot Unwanted. the mile-Lona Arcade along Amorsolo Street in Makati is fighting government ejectment. §® Rufino and Prieto families also being asked to pay P630m for unauthorized use of Napocor land since 2003 By Rey E. Requejo ‘THE government is suing a real estate company owned by the Rufino and Prieto families and asking a Makati court to compel them to re~ turn the land on which the Mile-Long Arcade sits, and to pay P630 million for its unauthorized use. ‘ itor General Agnes De- vanadera, counsel for the govern= ent and the state-owned Nac tional Power Comp, sued Sunvar Realty Development Corp. and asked the court to order its evic- tion for illegally occupying 2.3 hectares of state land fron Jan. 1, 2008 to March 31, 2008. The government is also seek ing the payment of P10 million a month from April 1, 2008, until the property and its. improve- ments “are yacated and peacefully surrendered, “Clearly, as. they have been unlawfully withholding the sub- ject property from the plaintiffs, Sunyar and all persons... who are claiming rights under it, should he... ejected” Devanadera said. Sunvar is owned by the Rufinos and Prieto farnilies, which own the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Text messages sent to Sunvar presi- dent Carlos Rufino and treasurer Marixi Prieto went unanswered. “The government and the state~ ‘owned power company are the registered owners of the 22,994. ‘square-meter _ property along Amorsolo Street in Legaspi Vil lage in Makati ‘On Dec. 26, 1977, the land was leased to the now defunct Technol- ogy Resource Center Foundation EY ACASIO| Inc fr years begimting]an.1, 1978 and endingon Des Sb 2002, but enesvable for another 25 years on mutual agreement. "Technology Resource subsequently leased a portion of the property, between De la Rosa Street and Ammaiz Avenue to Bimar Realy undera sublese agement aan Thal ts agreoments with Technology Resouree, Suna agreed to rturn or surrender the subleased land without delay once the sublease contract expen Dec-B1, 2002. During this period, Sunvar put up commoreial buildings including the Premiere Cinema, MileLong ‘Arcade, Makati Creekside Building, the Gallery Building and Sunvar Plaza. "Technology Resource was replaced by the Philippine Development Alternatives Foundation after the Edsa Revolution in 1086 acy (On June 3, 2002, Napocornotifjed Philippine Development that it would not renew the ease. Philippine Development in turn informed Sunvar ofthe decision on June 25, 2002, But it was only on Feb, 22, 2008, thatthe solicitor general aised Sunvar to vacate the property. The realestate company received a final notice fan 2. “Sumnvar,.obstinately refused to vacate the subject property, and, despite the lapse ofthe period given, adamantly continued tooveupy the same up to the present,” Devanadera said, noting ‘that the government and the state-owned power company 3 as. result of it x : Citing the appraisal of the Privatization Management Office, Devanadera told the eourt that Sunvar should pay the government P630 million as reasonable compensation for its illegal use and occupation of the property from Jan. 1, 2003, to March 31, 2009, and 10,364,000 smonth from April 1, 2009, up to the time Sunvar vacated ee