THE Misamis Oriental Provincial Government won the case filed against them by Vice Governor Jeremy Jonahmar Pelaez and party who questioned the legality of the budget and ordinances for 2020.

Regional Trial Court Branch 39 Judge Marites Filomena Rana-Bernales has declared the Provincial Government's 2020 budget and three ordinances (Ordinance 1445-2019, 1458-2020, and 1464-2020) as valid and effective as of the date of their approval.

Lawyer Ernesto Sotto Jr., the Provincial Board secretary, was ordered by the court to post the ordinances for public's information.

On June 29, a temporary restraining order (TRO) was issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 24, stopping the Provincial Government from using its 2020 budget. This caused all Covid-19 response operations and basic services in Misamis Oriental to be suspended, and prevent the Provincial Government from paying the salaries of their employees, including job order workers and casuals.

The TRO stemmed from the case filed by Pelaez and Board Members Jerry Khu and Jessa Josephine Mugot.

On July 9, the Regional Trial Court 10 Branch 39 lifted the TRO.

In the three-page court order, the petitioners and the Provincial Government agreed to restore the status quo to the issuance of the TRO.