Cebu City Legal Office to start investigation on Sugbo building demolition

The Sugbu building used to house the SRP Management Office. /CDN File Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Legal Office wanted to know if Commission on Audit (COA) guidelines were followed in the demolition of the Sugbu Building by the Universal Hotel and Resorts Inc. (UHRI), the developer of the Isla de la Victoria development project that is being proposed on Kawit Island.

Lawyer Rey Gealon, the City Legal Officer, said that they will especially check if the structure was properly appraised by COA.

“In this case, while the destruction may have been carried out based on (a) contract, UHRI is not exempt from complying the law. The Mayor (Edgardo Labella) abides by the rule of law, which is why he is protecting public interest from unscrupulous maneuvering,” Gealon said.

Gealon said that they already sent a letter asking UHRI to explain the demolition of the structure that used to house the SRP Management Office.

Read More: Labella calls for investigation of Sugbo building demolition

UHRI started the demolition of the Sugbo building last month in compliance with an order issued by former Mayor Tomas Osmeña.

But despite the issuance of a demolition order, Labella wanted to know if the protocol in the demolition of government structures was followed.

“Upon the directive of the Mayor, the City Legal Office will conduct an investigation on the proprietary of UHRI’s destruction of SRP’s twin buildings,” said Gealon in text message to CDN Digital.

Gealon said that a government structure should be declared to lack in commercial value and should already be beyond economic repair prior to the issuance of a demolition order.  There is also a need to determine if there were any willing receiver of the appraised building and if the appraised value of the structure was less than its administrative cost if sold. /dcb