Mayor flares up after bank offers to help pay Rallos heirs

A bank lawyer  surprised Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday by telling the court that  Philippine Postal Savings Bank is willing to release the account numbers of the Cebu city government to facilitate payment of the money claim of the Rallos family as ordered by the court.

Lawyer Jobert Abiba of PPSB spoke during yesterday’s court hearing  in Branch 9 of the Cebu Regional Trial Court.

Mayor  Rama, who insists the city government should not pay the Rallos heirs in the nearly 50-year-old lot expropriation case, blew his top when he heard Abiba’s statement.

He confronted Abiba after the hearing.   Both of them talked privately along the corridor of  the Palace of Justice.

Lawyer Jade Ponce, one of Rama’s consultants, said they were surprised when Abiba suddenly stood up and told the court.

The court is hearing the city government’s motion for reconsideration on a court order mandating the city’s depository bank to release the account numbers of the city.

“The bank wasn’t summoned by the judge to appear. Why were you here? It (Abiba’s manifestation) that was uncalled for. It seemed scripted,” Ponce said.

Ponce said the city government is now uncertain on the loyalty of PPSB.

“You’re our bank. You work for the city. It seems that the mayor has lost his confidence in PPSB,” he said.

The city government is asking the court to reconsider a  Feb. 27 ruling that mandates the Philippine Veterans Bank and the PPSB to release the account numbers of the city government.

This has to be done so the City Council can enact an  ordinance to compel the banks to release at least P133 million to the Rallos heirs whose lot was expropriated for a road in 1963.

City lawyers argued that all monetary claims against a government agency shall be coursed through the Commission on Audit  in line with  Supreme Court Administrative Circular no. 10-2000.  Mayor Rama has officially requested  COA to intervene in the case.  RTC Judge James Himalaloan gave the city  15 days to submit a written response.

The sheriff scheduled a public auction of 9.7 hectares of South Road Properties (SRP) on April 10 to settle the claim./Ador Vincent S. Mayol