Radaza on dismissal of case vs Chan: ‘It was only due to technicality’

Outgoing representative says ‘God has better plans for me’

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu—For Representative Paz Radaza, there’s no reason to be upset about the dismissal of the civil case against Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan.

After all, her term as Lapu-Lapu City Lone District representative is about to end.

“Dili na mistil nga ikasakit ko pa nga na dismiss ang kaso tungod kay ha-om ra usab kini sa pagpupos sa akong termino isip inyong kongresista. Duna gyuy nindot nga plano ang Ginuo para nako,” Radaza said in a Facebook post shared Wednesday night, May 18, 2022.

(There is no need to feel sorry about the case being dismissed because it is just fitting that my term as your congresswoman is ending. God has better plans for me.)

RTC Branch 72 Presiding Judge Mendulfo Pintor Jr. dismissed the case after Radaza and her counsel failed to appear in the mediation proceedings last March 30, 2022.

READ: Court dismisses case against Chan

Radaza filed the case in 2019 after Chan ordered the closure of her office at the second floor of the Lapu-Lapu City Hall.

Radaza, however, clarified that the dismissal of the case was only due to technicality.

“Wala pa mi kadawat sa kopya sa order pero bisan pa man, klaro na daan nga nadismiss ang kaso tungod lamang sa teknikalidad. WALA NISULTI ANG KORTE NGA SAKTO ANG ILANG PAGPALAYAS KANAKO,” she said in the Facebook post.

(We haven’t received the copy of the oerder but still, it is clear that the case was dismissed due to technicality. The court didn’t say that it was right to evict me from the office.)

Radaza added that currently, her lawyer is already looking into their next move, especially since she claims they were not informed about the schedule of the mediation last March.

Radaza said that she was only basing her stay at the city hall on the ordinance that was passed by the city council in maintaining the Office of the House of Representatives of the Lapu-Lapu City Lone District at the said place.

In an interview with Chan on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, the mayor insisted that the executive department has full authority over the local government’s property.

“Yes, it’s very clear no nga klaro man gyud kaayo ang decision sa korte nga dili magbasi sa ordinansa. As I said, ang dunay full authority sa mga property sa local government is the executive, the mayor,” Chan said.

(Yes, it’s the order of the court is very clear that it shouldn’t be based on the ordinance. As I said, the one that has full authority over the property of the local government is the executive [department].)

Chan and Radaza both ran for mayor of Lapu-Lapu City in the recent elections. 

Chan, of Team Ahong-Team Libre, won against Radaza of Team Deretso, garnering 160,664 votes against Radaza’s 49,535 votes.

/bmjo