Two lechon outlets close shop before receiving closure order

Two branches of a lechon chain in Cebu City were ordered closed by Cebu City Hall for operating without proper business permits.

Personnel from the mayor’s office, the City Legal Office and the Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification and Enhancement (Probe) team went to the two branches of Rico’s Lechon in Escario St. and in Panagdait Street in Barangay Mabolo to enforce the closure order on Thursday morning.

But when City Hall personnel arrived in the two branches to implement the closure order, these were already closed and no one was inside the premises.

Instead the teams were greeted with posters from both branches that read “We are moving to a new location to serve you better!” were placed on their glass walls.

In their official Facebook page, Rico’s Lechon shared a post saying “Closing doors to open a BIGGER one. We are thrilled to be chopping soon to a new location! Stay tuned!” along with the hashtags #RicosLechon and #DaBestGyud.

Cebu Daily News tried to get the side and statement of the management. But as of 3 pm, a representative said they are still meeting and will be coming up with an official statement yet.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said the two branches have been operating without business permits from the City Hall six months and five years, respectively.

“One restaurant has not renewed its business permit for five years. The other never had a business permit at all. Both are million peso businesses, not carinderias (eateries). Per due process, the City Treasurer gave two warnings over a span of months, and City Legal issued a show cause order. Still no compliance,” the mayor said in a post on his Facebook account.

The separate closure orders were signed by the mayor last August 2 and was implemented by the Probe team today (August 3).

For the branch in Escario St., the city said they have been operating since December 14, 2016 without an approved business permit. They were given notices to comply last June 1 and July 13 which were not answered.

This prompted the mayor’s office to send them a show cause order dated July 21.
The branch in Barangay Mabolo has reportedly been operating without a business permit since August 24, 2012.

The same process and documents were issued to this branch before the eventual closure order.