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December 16, 2025 | 9:07am
DiliMall on the University of the Philippines Diliman campus as photographed in February 2025.
Ralff Nestor Nacor via Wikimedia Commons
MANILA, Philippines — Store stall owners at the University of the Philippines, joined by student council representatives, filed graft and administrative complaints at the Office of the Ombudsman against over commercial complex DiliMall.
In a complaint filed on Friday, December 12, the complainants accused several UP officials of violating anti-graft laws in the planning, approval and implementation of the project.
They alleged that the development was carried out without proper consultation with affected campus stakeholders, particularly small concessionaires and students.
According to the complainants, the DiliMall disrupted livelihoods within the campus while allegedly favoring private commercial interests.
They claimed the project led to the "displacement of hundreds of vendors, abruptly divested of an alternative commercial venue within the expansive UP Diliman campus."
The complaint named UP President Angelo Jimenez, former UP President Danilo Concepcion, CBMS Research and Management Consultancy Services, CBMS Property Company OPC, and several others as respondents.
Alleged violations, lease questioned
The complainants accused the respondents 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.
They are seeking the nullification of the DiliMall lease agreement with CBMS Research and Management Consultancy Services, as well as the preventive suspension of the officials involved.
At the center of the complaint is a 2004 memorandum of agreement (MOA), which the complainants said guarantees campus vendors the right of first refusal and a rental discount.
They alleged that UP officials disregarded this MOA when they entered into a master lease agreement with CBMS in January 2023, effectively excluding direct vendor participation in the leasing process.
"The 2004 MOA was a perfected contract. It possessed the full ‘force of law’ between the University and the UPSCSAI. The Respondent UP officials were, therefore, legally bound to fulfill ‘what has been expressly stipulated’ therein and to act in ‘good faith.’ They did the exact opposite," the complaint read.
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Remedies sought
The complainants also asked the Ombudsman to order the immediate return of displaced vendors to the DiliMall, with the university honoring their right of first refusal and a five-year, 20% rental discount.
They further sought a full financial audit of the private firms involved to determine recoverable losses, including the refund of security deposits and other payments made by affected vendors.
As of press time, Jimenez and the other respondents have yet to issue a statement.
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