Court sets October hearings for Rico’s Lechon case

The Cebu City government has asked the court to move to September 21 the deadline for the submission of their comment on the injunction case filed by 3MRS Dionson Corporation, the company that operates Rico’s Lechon chain of restaurants.

Lawyer Bernard Garcia, a member of the city’s legal team, said that while they already drafted their response, this requires the approval of Mayor Tomas Osmeña, who is now in an official travel to South Korea.

Osmeña and City Treasurer Tessie Camarillo who were named respondents in the injunction case were given until 5 p.m. of Wednesday to submit to their comments to Judge James Stewart Himalaloan of Branch 7 of Cebu City’s Regional Trial Court (RTC).

Lawyer Diolito Alvarez, counsel for the Dionson family, said that while they do not object to the city’s request for extension, he expressed apprehension that any delays in the submission of the respondent’s comment would also cause delays in the resolution of their case.

“I hope they are not going to use the procedure to delay the case, (given that) the validity of the business permit is only up to December 2017. Beyond that date, everything will be considered moot,” said Alvarez during the Wednesday morning hearing of Dionson’s injunction petition.

“We should agree on a definite time because it seems that time is not on the side of the petitioners. It will be a bleak Christmas for the workers. Even an evil person would understand that (these people are earning money),” Alvarez added.

Himalaloan scheduled October 4, 6, 18 and 20 as case hearing dates of the injunction case to give both parties more time to prepare their arguments.