School sues priest, asks for 2 million in damages

CEBU, Philippines - The College of Technological Sciences-Cebu Inc. is asking for more than P2 million in damages in the civil case they filed against Learn.ph foundation, Inc and Fr. Jose Marie Legaspi for the non-payment of rentals and reimbursement of renovations.

In their complaint, the College of Technological Sciences-Cebu Inc. stated that defendant corporation, of which Fr. Legaspi is the president, entered into a contract of lease sometime in June 2009 involving a 250 square-meter space inside CTS-C Building located at N. Bacalso Street, Cebu City on June 15, 2009 and will expire on June 14, 2012.

Plaintiff said defendants requested them to pay for the costs of the renovations as they would refund it later amounting to P609,355.64 but defendants did not reimburse. CTS-C representatives also alleged that defendants likewise violated their contract when they failed to pay the advance payment of the rental and three months security deposit.

They claimed that they only received assurances from defendant Legaspi that they will pay it in due time.

“Plaintiff did not doubt the assurances of Fr. Legaspi being God-fearing Christians, it never crossed the minds of the officers of plaintiff corporation that a servant of God like Fr. Legaspi may have been less than honest in his dealings with them,” complaint reads.

However, plaintiff said the promised of Fr. Legaspi did not push through and kept on refusing to pay.

They said they tried to keep in touch with the defendants by making calls, sent message through email but still defendants kept on refusing.

“Defendants were guilty of fraud. They entered into a 3-year lease contract worth millions of pesos with plaintiff when they had actually no intention of paying even a single centavo,” plaintiff said.

Plaintiff asked defendants to pay the amount of P2,122,036.44 exemplary damages aside from P50,000 for attorney’s fee and P100,000 for litigation expenses. — (FREEMAN)