No TRO for Garcia, says De Lima

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Wednesday night said she had been informed that no temporary restraining order (TRO) has been issued by the Court of Appeals on the suspension order meted out to Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia.

Instead, the appellate court’s 12th Division set oral arguments on Jan. 10 on Garcia’s petition for a TRO against the six-month suspension ordered by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

“That’s the information I got,” said De Lima in a text message.

Garcia last month filed a petition for review with prayer for a temporary restraining order against the DILG directive suspending her.

Garcia’s case was raffled off to the Court of Appeal’s 12th Division which is headed by Associate Justice Vicente Veloso.

The governor was ordered suspended based on a complaint filed by the late Cebu Vice Gov. Greg Sanchez in 2010 accusing her of usurpation of authority.

Garcia has vowed to defy her ouster and said she would only leave her capitol office in Cebu City if the police forcibly take her out.