THE Supreme Court has issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) enjoining the implementation of Parañaque City’s new ordinance, which prescribes the schedule of values for land, building and improvements in the city.

In a two-page notice, the Court’s Third Division granted the plea of leaders of homeowners association seeking to stop the implementation of Parañaque City Ordinance 11-11, which they say would result to an excessive increase in land tax.

Homeowners associations in subdivisions in the city, such as BF Parañaque, Better Living Switzerland, United BF Homeowners Association and Fourth Estate have filed the petition.

The Court has also directed the respondents Parañaque City Mayor Florencio Bernabe Jr., City Assessor Soledad Samonte, and City Council Chairman of the Way and Means Committee Councilor Jason Webb to submit their comment within 10 days on the petition for certiorari, mandamus and prohibition filed by the petitioners on September 28.

On October 13 the Sanggunian Panlungsod approved Ordinance 11-11 which prescribes the schedule of values for land, building and improvements for the City of Parañaque.

The approval of the ordinance was in compliance with the Joint Memorandum Circular 2010-01 of the Departments of Finance and of the Interior and Local Government, which enjoins all provinces, city and the municipality of Pateros in Metro Manila to conduct the general revision of property assessments in their respective jurisdiction.