MANILA – The Manila city council has decided to suspend the building permit of a condominium project that threatens to ruin the "sacred sightline" of the Rizal Shrine and Luneta Park.

In a resolution, the city council said the 41-storey Torre de Manila Condominium project of DMCI Homes along Taft Avenue in Ermita district violates a zoning ordinance pertaining to floor area ratio and height restrictions within a University/Institution Cluster Zone.

"The visual dominance of national monuments, like the Rizal Shrine, ought to be protected, as monuments should be given due prominence since they symbolize national significance… the Rizal National Monument in Luneta and the Bonifacio National Monument are established as objects of reference, and must preferably be the focal point of a city or town," read the resolution, authored by Councilor Don Juan Bagatsing.

"If completed, this enormously contentious vertical concrete expansion will, above high, rise behind, surely to dwarf and overshadow, the Rizal Shrine and, certainly, with such a towering ugly bulk, shall visually despoil, degrade, and cheapen the most sacred sightline and vitally valuable vista of our National Monument, resulting in the blatant disgrace and perpetual corruption of our heroes’ lasting legacy, as well as, of our nationalistic identity and patrimonial pride," the resolution added.

Petition platform Change.org said the resolution was a response to a petition against the construction started last year by controversial Manila tour guide Carlos Celdran.

As of posting, at least 8,000 people have signed up to support Celdran's cause. The tour guide's petition began in June 2012.

The city council, under the administration of then Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, ruled to stop the construction a month after the petition was started. The resolution, however, was subsequently vetoed by Lim in April 2013, prompting Celdran to revive the online petition.

Celdran, who calls the proposed condominium "Terror in Manila," welcomed the city council's decision, saying real estate buyers should be cautious of properties violating zonal laws.

"More than just a victory for the sanctity of the image of Jose Rizal's monument, let this be a wake up call to real estate buyers to make sure that the investment you are looking at follows proper zoning guidelines and local ordinances. Usually, if the condominium looks out of place and burdensome, it means that it is exactly that. Caveat emptor," said Celdran, who was appointed by incumbent Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada as the city's tourism consultant.

In a separate statement, Bagatsing said all the stakeholders, including DMCI, would be able to iron out the issues.

"We are not against development. Development does not mean how high your buildings are. It should find a harmony and balance with cultural and historical heritage," the councilor said.

The council resolution said the suspension is merely interim or temporary in nature, and shall subsist only until an acceptable compromise or suitable agreement is accomplished.