THE Regional Trial Court 10 Branch 39 on Thursday, July 9, lifted the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) that stopped the Provincial Government of Misamis Oriental from using its 2020 budget.
In the three-page court order, the petitioners and the Provincial Government agreed to restore the status quo to the issuance of the TRO.
The petitioners, Vice Governor Jeremy Jonahmar Pelaez and Board Members Jerry Khu and Jessa Josephine Mugot, agreed not to pursue the application for a Writ of Preliminary Injunction (WIP), without prejudice to the expeditious resolution of this case one the merits, in its entirety, including petitioners' prayer for issuance of a permanent injunction.
The respondent, the Provincial Government, on the other hand, shall file its answer, with all of its testimonial and documentary evidence as required under the Amended Rules of Civil Procedure which took effect on May 1.
The respondent was given 15 days from receipt of Summons to file answer. However, since the attachments are expected to be voluminous, the Court gave the Provincial Government additional time of up to July 24.
The Pretrial Conference is set on August 5 and August 7.
The parties and their counsels further agreed that they shall strictly abide by the Sub Judice Rule, which restricts and prohibits comments and disclosures pertaining to the judicial proceedings before the Court, or in any other manner obstructing the administration of justice.
It was recalled that the issuance of the TRO, which stemmed from the case filed by Pelaez, Khu and Mugot, stopped the Provincial Government from using its 2020 budget which caused all Covid-19 response operations and basic services in Misamis Oriental suspended.