The staff of Lapu-Lapu City District Representative Paz Radaza is operating an assistance desk outside of a padlocked office. CDND PHOTO / Rosalie Abatayo
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines— The standoff between the staff of Lapu-Lapu City District Representative Paz Radaza and Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan continues.
This happens as Radaza’s staff members operate the district representative’s assistance desk at the Lapu-Lapu City Hall on Wednesday, August 14.
Their presence defies the Notice to Vacate sent to Radaza’s office on Tuesday afternoon, August 13, which gave them an ultimatum to vacate the city hall premises.
Based on the log of clients served on Wednesday, August 14, there are 59 Lapu-Lapu City residents assisted by Radaza’s assistance desk.
Radaza’s staff assisted clients with medical, educational and livelihood concerns.
The assistance desk also catered to concerns raised by beneficiaries of her programs during her term as city mayor.
Lapu-Lapu City Legal Officer James Allan Sayson said they are tolerating the presence of Radaza’s staff and the assistance desk.
In an interview with CDN Digital, Sayson said they are just waiting for Chan’s instruction before they subject the unclaimed items inside the padlocked office in an inventory by the City General Services Office (CGSO).
In the final notice to vacate, Chan said Radaza’s staff should vacate the city hall and take their personal items within the business day of August 13.
The district representative’s office has been padlocked since the resumption of work on Tuesday, August 13, following the second notice to vacate issued by Chan last Friday, August 9.
Chan’s second notice also came with an opinion from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) saying that the allocation of office spaces is the prerogative of the mayor.
The DILG also opined that the city ordinance promulgated last June 6, 2019 was “ineffective and invalid and therefore, should not be implemented.”
But Lawyer Kim Castro, Radaza’s legal counsel, said they will maintain possession of their office space unless the court will say so and nullify the said ordinance.
Chan first demanded Radaza to vacate her office at the City Hall when he assumed as mayor on July 1.
Chan said he will be using the district representative’s office while the Office of the Mayor located across it will be renovated. / celr
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