3 more join case filed vs. Capitol parking fees

CEBU - The Regional Trial Court has allowed the former regional director of the National Bureau of Investigation and two other lawyers to intervene in the injunction case that a group of lawyers earlier filed against the Cebu Provincial Government to stop the collection of the parking fee at the Capitol compound.

Judge Silvestre Maamo of the RTC Branch 17 granted the motion to intervene filed by former NBI regional director Florencio Villarin, former Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Cebu City Chapter president Democrito Barcenas and lawyer Manuel Paradela.

In an order dated January 13, Maamo said that the intervenors have satisfied all the essential requisites for intervention.

The three intervenors joined the members of the Cebu Lawyers for Unity and Brotherhood who signed the original petition for injunction against the provincial government.

Villarin, Barcenas and Paradela said that the imposition of the parking fee is unconstitutional for allegedly having no valid taxing ordinance.

They claimed that the capitol is collecting the fees as if it were a private landowner. This is allegedly in violation of the equal protection clause guaranteed under the Constitution for not having observed due process.

Provincial attorney Marino Martinquilla denied the accusations saying that the imposition of the parking fee was authorized by a provincial ordinance creating the Economic Enterprise Council.

CLUB members through its president Edgar Gica filed a civil case against the province questioning the validity of the imposition of the parking fee.

Gica’s group likewise questioned the installation of a surveillance camera in front of the IBP building. They asked the court to issue a temporary restraining order and a writ of preliminary injunction but were denied by the court. — Fred P. Languido/BRP   (THE FREEMAN)