Homeowners given one week to file claim in court

A HOMEOWNERS association in barangay Punta Princesa was given until next week before Cebu City Hall claims management of a basketball court in their barangay.

The Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification, Enhancement (Probe) team of the Cebu City Hall granted the request of the Mangahan Homeowners Association (MHA) to give them a week’s extension before they assume management of the basketball court.

If the MHA secures a temporary restraining order from the court, they can still manage the basketball court which had been walled and roofed.

“Because they peacefully requested for an extension, we gave it to them,” Probe head Raquel Arce said. On Wednesday next week, the Probe team will post a notice near the basketball court stating that it is already under the management of the barangay captain of barangay Punta Princesa.

The mayor’s office earlier issued an executive order to the MHA to voluntarily give-up the management of the basketball court to the barangay captain.

A 72-hour notice was given to the MHA which expired last Tuesday but the MHA visited City Hall last Monday and requested for an extension.

Arce said discussion with the MHA went smoothly after they were assured by City Hall advisor Joey Daluz that they can still use the covered court despite the turnover to the city. Officers of the MHA will also be represented in a committee so their opinions on the drafting of guidelines for the use of the covered court will be heard, Arce said.

The Management of the covered court is tasked to book activities and hold the key for its use and access. Earlier this week, the MHA asked the Ombudsman-Visayas to stop the city government from claiming control of the covered court.

The MHA claimed that funds used in the construction of the covered court were sourced from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of then Cebu City-south district Representative Tomas Osmeña./Correspondent Jose Santino S. Bunachita