PROVINCIAL Attorney Orvi Ortega will ask the court in Argao to reconsider its denial of the temporary restraining order (TRO) the Capitol sought against another order to stop the road project in Barangay Jampang.
Argao Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) chief Flordeliza Geyrozaga last March 21 ordered Argao Mayor Edsel Galeos to stop cutting trees for the road project in Jampang.
The town, through the Provincial Legal Office (PLO), petitioned the court to restrain the environment office from enforcing its cease-and-desist order. But the court upheld the order and stopped the road widening project.
“The provincial legal office is the one representing the Municipality of Argao. It is not me in my personal capacity,” said Ortega.
Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III said the Province has nothing to do with the case.
“In the Local Government Code, when the municipality has no lawyer, the Provincial Legal Office is bound to represent the municipality, (and) in this case the suing party is the municipal government,” said Davide.
Davide said he would like to correct the impression that he cleared the PLO and he authorized Ortega’s move to sue DENR and CENRO.
The Municipality of Argao, Ortega said, has filed and applied before the court for a “status quo ante order and temporary restraining order”.
“That was the one resolved by the court,” said Ortega.
He said he has not yet received the copy of the court’s decision.