Writ of attachment issued against hotel's property for laundry dues

The Regional Trial Court issued the writ of preliminary attachment against a posh resort hotel in barangay Marigondon, Lapu-Lapu City for its alleged failure to pay P2.1-million for laundry services.

RTC-Branch 10 judge Soliver Peras granted the motion of 1st Steam Laundry Services for a writ of preliminary attachment against Plantation Bay Hotel, Inc.

Court sheriff Fortunato Viovicente, Jr., with police escorts from the Cebu Provincial Police Office eventually served the writ but hotel spokesperson Kyra Cabaero said the management had already referred the case to its lawyer.

The hotel's property that the sheriff had taken as attachment was a 2003 Chrysler car, with an estimated value of over P1 million, which is now in court's custody.

The laundry firm's lawyer Deolito Alvarez however said the value of the car was not enough to cover the unpaid dues so his firm is eyeing some of the hotel's property for attachment also.

The laundry firm manager, George Reyes, sued the hotel management to collect the P2.1-million in bills for providing laundry services to the hotel.

Court records showed that the laundry services started last May when the hotel's housekeeping manager Runnel Paredes contracted the firm for such. Reyes said the hotel was able to pay the services that month.

The laundry services continued but the hotel allegedly failed to pay the dues from June to September already, Reyes said, adding that this prompted the laundry firm to send a demand letter last September 20.

The hotel management however refused to pay its obligation citing that it could not honor the transactions between Paredes and the laundry firm, saying that Paredes was not authorized to do so in behalf of the hotel.

Judge Peras, in his order, stated that when the hotel paid its dues for the month of May, it should have notified the laundry firm that its services are no longer needed subsequently.

The hotel allowed the laundry services to continue still but did not pay such later on-a matter that seemingly defrauded the firm, said the court.

The hotel management yesterday refused to issue more statement over the issue. - Jose P. Sollano