Mayor sued to stop street demolition

A CIVIL suit was filed against Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and four other government officials in relation to the proposed restoration of Don Jose Avila Street in uptown Cebu City.

The plaintiffs Catherine Figuracion, Alexis Yap, and Stephen Dignos asked the Regional Trial Court to issue a Temporary Restraining Order to stop the demolition of their structures along the sidewalk.

They are also seeking payment of P50,000 as moral damages; P20,000 as attorney’s fees, and P2,000 for every court appearance of the counsel.

Named respondents were Rama; Squatters Prevention, Elimination and Encroachment Division (Speed) head Noel Artes; and city engineers Edgar Batiquin and David Martinez, among others.

Also impleaded were private individual Antonio Loazada of the Senora Damasa Development Corp. and the Solicitor General.

In their complaint, the plaintiffs said Don Jose Avila Street was built in the early 1950s or 1960s with a width of 10 meters as stated in Cebu City Ordinance No. 1360 or the the Revised Road Details for Cebu City.

The ordinance proposed, among others, that the street’s width be widened and increased to 15 meters.  Since then, the complainants claimed that the ordinance was allegedly not implemented.

In a technical report, Batquin recommended the removal of the establishments owned by the plaintiffs. The establishments reportedly encroached the road.

In November 2010, Loazada, who represented the Senora Damasa Development Corp, wrote the mayor, asking for  road restoration in the area.

The plaintiffs were later surprised to receive a Notice of Demolition issued by Artes. Reporter Ador Vincent Mayol