Banks may reject Rama's request

CEBU, Philippines - Officials of the three depository banks of the Cebu City Government may reject Mayor Michael Rama’s request not to garnish the City’s deposits amounting to P133.4 million as ordered by the court to pay the heirs of the late Fr. Vicente Rallos for his lot that has been used as road in barangay Sambag 2.

In a related development, The FREEMAN also learned that Bellones traveled to Manila last Thursday to give a notice of garnishment to SM Prime Holdings Inc.

Bellones explained that he decided to issue a notice of garnishment to SM Prime Holdings Inc. because the company still has millions of pesos of obligation to the City as payment of the 30.4 hectares of lots that it bought at the South Road Properties.

Records showed that SM Prime Holdings Inc. is expected to pay about P109 million to the City this month.

As for the banks, Dexter C. Ruiz, branch manager of Land Bank-Plaza Independencia branch, communicated with Rama yesterday about the instruction from their litigation department not to put on hold the deposits of the City with their bank.

The bank manager said the only way Land Bank can hold the deposits of the City is if Rama or his subordinates can furnish the bank with an order from the court lifting the notice of garnishment it issued earlier, a temporary restraining order or a writ of preliminary injunction.

Ruiz was with Ricardo Cordova and Nicanor Valiente, the managers of the Philippine Postal Bank and Philippine Veterans Bank, respectively, when they met with Rama at the mayor’s office yesterday morning.

City Treasurer Tessie Camarillo and the city lawyers whom Rama tasked to handle the case were also present during the meeting.

The mayor said he personally asked the three bank managers to protect the interest of the city.

Court sheriff Antonio Bellones, when asked about the case for grave abuse of authority and graft charges that the city filed against him, said he will answer them once he receives a copy of the complaint.

Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 9 Judge James Stewart Ramon Himalaloan the other day ordered Bellones to stop implementing the writ of execution against the City of Cebu for the payment of the controversial Rallos property in barangay Sambag 2.

Rama said he welcomed the latest development and said the city lawyers would be filing the necessary pleadings before the court to counter the notice of garnishment issued by Bellones. (FREEMAN)