Sheriff in Rallos case submits report to court

THE sheriff assigned to enforce court orders in relation to the P133-million claim of the Rallos family against the Cebu city government yesterday clarified that he was not remiss in performing his job.

Sheriff Eugenio Fuentes submitted to the court a monthly report on the actions he has taken to enforce the orders of the court.

Regional Trial Court Judge James Himalaoan on Monday voiced disgust over the sheriff’s failure to update him on the enforcement of his order.

Fuentes said he has been submitting monthly reports to the court since December.

In an interview, he said he is presently seeking payment from the banks where the city government deposited its money.

If the banks refused to settle the city’s debt, the sheriff said he will come up with another notice to levy the properties of the city government.

A portion of the South Road Properties has been subjected to a public auction after the city government refused to settle the claim of the Rallos family.

However, the family needs to put up an indemnity bond of P1.2-billion sought by Filinvest Land Inc.

The amount represents Filinvest’s development costs for the lot, part of a P25-billion joint venture (JV) agreement with Cebu City.

The money will be set aside in case Filinvest seeks legal action in the future.

Himalalaon, acting judge of RTC Branch 9 in Cebu City, said he has no idea on whether properties owned by the city government were levied to settle the P133-million claim of the Ralloses.

The amount is supposed to serve as payment of their property in Sambag II that was expropriated for a road in 1963. The judge said he only knew about updates of the enforcement of his order through the newspapers. Reporter ADOR VINCENT S. MAYOL