In a bid to preserve the historical heritage of the Philippine Ambassador’s residence in Fujimi, Chiyodaku, Tokyo, Japan, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. and the grandson of former President Jose P. Laurel asked Wednesday the Supreme Court to stop the planned demolition of the property to give way for the construction of a 21-storey building.

In a 40-page petition for prohibition with urgent prayer for the issuance of a Temporary Restraining 2009Order, former Ambassador Jose Macario Laurel IV, Pimentel and the Philippine Ambassadors Foundation Inc. (PAFI) asked the High Court to direct Finance Secretary Margarito Teves, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Franklin Ebdalin to desist from proceeding with the public bidding for the right to lease and develop the Fujimi property.

Also named respondents in the petition were Budget and Management undersecretary and BAC-JAPAN member Laura Pascua, Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary and BAC-Japan member Bashir Rasuman and Chief State Counsel and BAC-Japan member Ricardo Paras III.

In the event that the public bidding has been concluded and an award to so-called winning bidder has been made, the petitioners asked the Court to issue an order enjoining the respondents from implementing the award.

The 5,219.55-square meter Fujimi property, which was purchased by then President Laurel in 1944 during World War II, was supposed to be bidded out last November 11 after Finance Undersecretary and Bids and Awards Committee for the Government Properties in Japan (BAC-Japan) chaired by Estela Sales caused the publication of a notice to bid in a major daily in Japan on September 15 and 16, 2009.

The notice was published despite an earlier assurance by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita that the proposed demolition of the embassy residence would be put on hold on orders of President Arroyo.

In their letter to the President dated June 10, 2008, Laurel IV and former Ambassador Alfonso Yuchengco, president and chairman of PAFI, noted the rich historical value of the Fujimi property.