Contempt charges against execs on lot feud

ONE of the heirs of Rev. Fr. Vicente Rallos filed contempt charges anew against the Cebu City government and its lawyers for trying to stop the implementation of a court ruling.

Cebu City was earlier ordered to pay P133 million to the Rallos family as compensation for a lot expropriated for a road in 1963, an order the city government is contesting.

Lucina Rallos said the city’s pleading was  “impertinent and scandalous.”

The charges carry a penalty of a P2,000 fine and/or imprisonment of not more than 10 days.

Rallos asked the court to require the city government to name the officials who authorized its lawyers to file the motion to quash the writ of execution.

She also asked the court to strike out the pleading filed by the city from  the records.

Regional Trial Court Judge James Stewart Ramon Himalaloan is yet to rule on Rallos’ request.

Earlier  this month, Rallos also filed a petition for indirect contempt against Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama over statements he made in Cebu Daily News questioning tax obligations of the Rallos family.

Rallos said the statement intended to impede the administration of justice.

Cebu Daily News publisher Eileen Mangubat and chief of reporters Doris Bongcac were also named respondents to the petition.

In an order dated Sept. 23, 2011, Judge Himalaloan gave the go signal for the ex-officio sheriff to issue a writ of execution against the city government.

The city filed a motion to quash the writ of execution as well as the notice of garnishment issued by  the sheriff  to three SM companies doing business with  Cebu city.  Reporter Ador Vincent Mayol