THE Misamis Oriental provincial government is eyeing to file a complaint for breach of contract against the famous blood donation advocates Philippine Red Cross.
And the Sangguniang Panlalawigan is looking into the matter.
But it’s not just the Red Cross.
Board member Gerardo Sabal III said that the provincial legal office has requested the legislators to grant the provincial government authority to file criminal complaints for trespassing against all illegal occupants of Capitol properties.
The provincial government owns a sprawling compound in Cagayan de Oro City and maintains its seat here which includes executive and legislative functions.
Sabal said the board members will convene this Wednesday, January 8 as a committee on the whole to hear the report of the provincial legal official on the matter.
But initially, the provincial legal office has identified the lot across the regional office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the lot besides the Boy Scouts building as being illegally occupied.
The Philippine Red Cross case is a different one though.
According to Sabal, the occupancy of the organization is governed by a contract signed between the provincial government and the Red Cross.
And it is explicitly stated in the contract that the recipient, in this case the Philippine Red Cross is refrained from operating any profit-earning entity within the premises.
Sabal said they have received a report from the provincial legal office that the Red Cross is allegedly operating a convenience store in the area.
He said all these things would be clarified this Wednesday but added that the provincial legal office is strongly pushing to file the case.
This, as board member Dexter Yasay denied that the action of the provincial legal office is meant to fasttrack the joint venture between the provincial government and A Brown Company to develop the capitol.
During their session last Monday (January 6), Yasay exchanged words with opposition board member Frederick Khu who insinuated that the transfer of detainees from the old provincial jail to the more crowded Lumbia city jail is connected to this development.
Yasay said that the provincial government doesn’t have the authority to transfer detainees.
“Only a court order can compel the transfer of persons deprived by law from one facility to another,” he said.
This publication is reaching out to the Philippine Red Cross as of press time for comment.
