The Cebu City government lost the first stage of its battle against the Waterfront Hotel over the sale of a property in barangay Lahug.
After a heated argument between the lawyers of both parties, Judge Alexander Acosta of the Regional Trial Court Branch 9 denied the Cebu City government’s move to dismiss the case filed by Waterfront Hotel regarding the city’s sale of a 2,357-square meter property near the hotel.
Cebu City lawyer Jerone Castillo said that the case filed by the hotel was premature and is out of the court’s jurisdiction. The hotel also failed to exhaust administrative remedies to question the transaction, he added.
But, Edmund Villanueva, lawyer of Waterfront said they exhausted all means to question the transaction of the city government and Hotel Asia.
Villanueva added they requested a subpoena for the Commission on Audit (COA) to testify if such transaction complied with COA rules and regulations.
A summary hearing will proceed on Monday to rule on whether a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) should be issued.