Court asked: Don’t seize city’s funds to pay Ralloses

THE Cebu City government yesterday asked the court not to implement the seizure of government funds to settle its dues to the heirs of Rev. Fr. Vicente Rallos, whose lot was expropriated in 1963.

Cebu City Legal Officer Joseph Bernaldez made a verbal manifestation in court to maintain the status quo or to keep the things the way they presently are.

This developed as Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge James Stewart Ramon Himalaloan had yet to rule on the city government’s motion to set aside the Writ of Execution the court issued, mandating the city to settle its dues to the Rallos family.

Himalaloan, acting judge of RTC Branch 9, asked the city government to file a written motion to keep the status quo.

The court scheduled the hearing on the city’s motion to quash the Writ of Execution yesterday.

However, lawyers of the Rallos family said they had not received copies of the city’s motion.

Another hearing is scheduled on Oct. 26.

At least six lawyers of the city government appeared during the proceedings yesterday.

They were joined by former Cebu City Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera, who is also a lawyer. Mayor Michael Rama also attended the hearing.

Rama told Cebu Daily News that the city would exhaust all remedies to save the it from paying P133 million to the Ralloses.

“I’m doing what I ought to do,” the mayor said.

Rama claimed that the city should not pay for the Rallos lot which was expropriated for a road.

He said “there is no reason to make us legally bound to pay compensation.”

In a separate interview, Virginia Rallos said 64 heirs of Rev. Fr. Vicente Rallos would want to claim the payment they ought to receive from the city.

However, Virginia said they won’t oppose the recent request of the city to remain in status quo while waiting for the court to issue an order whether to set aside the Writ of Execution. /Reporter Ador Vincent S. Mayol