Store owners at the University of the Philippines, along with student council representatives, have filed graft and administrative complaints against university officials over the DiliMall project. They accuse the respondents of breaching anti-corruption laws due to inadequate consultation and violations of vendor rights. The complainants seek to nullify the lease agreement and reinstate affected vendors.
On December 12, store stall owners at the University of the Philippines Diliman campus, joined by student council representatives, submitted graft and administrative complaints to the Office of the Ombudsman against university officials regarding the planning, approval, and execution of the DiliMall commercial complex. The filing highlights a lack of proper consultation with affected stakeholders, including small concessionaires and students, leading to livelihood disruptions and favoritism toward private commercial entities.
The project has displaced hundreds of vendors, stripping them of alternative commercial spaces within the vast UP Diliman campus. Respondents include UP President Angelo Jimenez, former UP President Danilo Concepcion, CBMS Research and Management Consultancy Services, CBMS Property Company OPC, and several others. They face charges of violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act 3019) and the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
Central to the dispute is a 2004 memorandum of agreement (MOA) that assured vendors a right of first refusal and rental discounts. Instead, UP officials signed a master lease with CBMS in January 2023, sidelining direct vendor involvement. "The 2004 MOA was a perfected contract... They did the exact opposite," the complaint states.
The complainants request preventive suspension of the officials, immediate reinstatement of displaced vendors to DiliMall with enforcement of their right of first refusal and a five-year 20% rental discount, as well as a comprehensive financial audit of the private firms to recover losses, including refunds of security deposits and other payments. As of now, Jimenez and the other respondents have not commented.
