TALKS on the sale of the ageing Rizal Memorial Sports Complex have started.
But officials of the Philippine Sports Commission, the City of Manila and Malacanang are taking it slow and reviewing the documents that they have at hand.
Legal questions are being sorted and clarified first and this concerns the ownership of the complex, which was originally built 82 years ago in 1934.
“We’re not in a hurry to transfer ownership to Manila. We have to make sure that all documents are legal,” said PSC chairman William “Butch” Ramirez during a meeting with representatives of the City of Manila and Malacanang.
Negotiations are expected to go on for at least a year.
Lawyer Jose Antonio Flaminiano represented the City of Manila during the talks with Ramirez, while Kim Uy was the legal counsel sent by Presidential Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.
Two years ago, talks on the sale of the RMSC was reopened when Joseph Estrada assumed office as Mayor of the City of Manila.
The 10-hectare property, which was originally owned by the Vito Cruz family, was donated to the government way back in 1934. It is said to be worth around P10 billion.
Up to this time, ownership between the national government and the City of Manila will have to be determined.
Discussions on the sale of the property happened in previous years after the City of Manila, which was under Mayor Alfredo Lim at that time, signified its interest of selling it.
The facility was destroyed during World War II and was later reconstructed in 1953 and then renovated in 2011.