Lawyer Jerone Castillo, Cebu City special assistant on fiscal matters and special projects told SunStar Cebu that as of Friday, Feb. 17, 2023, they had not received the CPA’s reply to the show cause order issued by the Cebu City Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) last Feb. 9.
Citing two possible violations, the BPLO asked CPA to explain why it was collecting parking fees at Compaña Maritima.
The CPA was given 72 hours or three days from the time the notices were sent to respond to the show cause order.
“Together with our team of lawyers, we discussed everything if at all, there were serious violations committed by the CPA with respect to compliance of pertinent laws and ordinances and they are very clear, not only me but (to) the entire team studying it. So the notices were sent appropriately, including among others, violation of the building code,” Castillo said.
CPA reply
Maryknoll Bolasa, CPA spokesperson, told SunStar Cebu that they had already sent their reply via courier last Feb. 13.
Bolasa, however, refused to provide a copy of their reply as she needed to secure clearance from her superiors.
Bolasa said the CPA will continue to collect parking fees at the disputed Compaña Maritima despite the order.
The CPA started collecting parking fees there after it secured a writ of preliminary injunction from the Regional Trial Court prohibiting the City Government and Megawide Construction Corp.
(MCC) from occupying any portion of the disputed property.
Following the court’s order, some development projects under the joint venture agreement of the City Government and MCC to modernize Carbon Public Market came to a halt.
Last Jan. 19, Rama announced that he was prepared to go to war against the CPA over the Maritima issue.
Rama also ordered all City Hall department heads to look into whatever dues could be collected from the CPA. (EKV, JKV)