Rep. Paz Radaza of the lone district of Lapu-Lapu City posted a copy of her letter to Interior and Local Government Sec. Eduardo Año on her Facebook page this morning, July 15. /Photo grabbed from Radaza’s FB page
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Rep. Paz Radaza of the lone district of Lapu-Lapu City is not vacating the office that she occupies at the Lapu-Lapu City Hall.
Radaza said she “will maintain a status quo and will not take any action” until such time that Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año is able to issue a clear directive on her continued occupancy of her congressional office.
She wanted to be clarified of a media statement which Año made during his Cebu visit on Wednesday that Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan has authority to decide on the usage of City Hall offices.
Read More: Año tells Radaza to vacate Lapu-Lapu City Hall office
“With the foregoing, we respectfully would like to request for your formal clarification on this matter. Your clarification and/or directive would greatly guide us in determining the proper actions to be taken. We assure you that until receipt of your reply, we will maintain status quo and will not take action that would preempt or prejudice whatever your reply would be,” Radaza said in a July 10 letter to Año.
A copy of Radaza’s letter was received at the DILG office on the same day. Copies of the letter were also furnished to the DILG Lapu-Lapu City office and the Office of the Mayor on Friday, July 12.
Radaza also posted a copy of her letter to Año on her Facebook page at past 10 a.m. today, July 15.
Read More: Lapu Mayor Chan tries to shoo away Rep. Radaza from her City Hall office
In her one-page letter, Radaza said she heard from media reports of Año’s statement on the dispute involving her occupancy of her district office that is located inside the Lapu-Lapu City Hall building.
“Please allow us to directly air our side on this matter,” Radaza said.
“The District Office has been existing thereat since the seat of the House of Representatives for the Lone Congressional District of Lapu-Lapu City was created. The same makes it operations efficient, as it follows a one-stop-shop model locating the same in proximity with other government offices and thus providing convenience to the transacting public.”
Radaza also informed Año that on July 1, her office was forcibly opened which was contrary and in violation of City Ordinance No. 14-200-2019 which allocated an office space at the Lapu-Lapu City Hall for use by the elected district representative.
“The said ordinance has neither been repealed nor duly declared invalid or not effective,” said Radaza.
Citing the ordinance as her basis, Radaza said that it is the obligation of the seating mayor to provide a district office at City Hall.