City asked to submit comment on motion of casino operator

CEBU - Regional Trial Court Branch 16 Judge Sylva Aguirre Paderanga asked the Cebu City government to submit its comment on the motion for reconsideration filed by the operator of VIP Club Casino at the Rajah Park Hotel.

During the hearing of the case yesterday, Paderanga said she has grounds to dismiss the case filed by Waz Lian Management Philippines Inc. against the city government.

Paderanga earlier dismissed the case filed by Waz Lian Management and Myall Group Limited against the city government for lack of cause of action.

The case stemmed from the recent closure of the casino by the city government.

The judge said the Waz Lian Management Philippines Inc. (WLMPI) and Myall Group Limited (MGL) did not have a “cause of action” against the city government.

MGL is the majority owner of WLMPI, which is among the corporations that operate and trade slot machine arcades in the Philippines.

It asked the court to order a status quo on its earlier decision of the case so that the casino can resume operations while the court hears the petition for a mandatory injunction.

WLMPI also filed a motion asking the court to reconsider its ruling affirming the validity of the closure order of the city government on the VIP Club Casino.

The petitioners, through their lawyer Felix Chan, also said that Paderanga also violated their right to due process when their application for status quo ante and preliminary injunction was not considered before dismissing the case.

In the earlier motion it filed, WLMPI reiterated its motion for inhibition was not even considered by Paderanga when she dismissed the case last October 6.

The petitioners wanted Paderanga to inhibit from the case for allegedly having prejudged it when she dismissed it before the hearing for application for preliminary injunction. — Jasmin R. Uy/LPM (THE FREEMAN)