Cooperative official asks PNoy to act on complaint against MTCC judge

CEBU, Philippines - The an official of a multi-purpose cooperative in Barangay Kalunasan is bringing before Malacañang his discontentment of a court’s decision in a civil case filed by the Cebu Provincial Government.

Langub Kalunasan Multi-Purpose Cooperative (LKMPC) chairman Antonio Canoy sent an open letter to President Benigno Aquino III to complain against Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 6 Judge Pamela Baring-Uy.

Canoy accused Baring-Uy of rendering unjust judgment in violation of the Revised Penal Code.

The complaint stemmed from the decision of Baring-Uy dated March 12, 2012 granting the Province of Cebu the recovery of the lot in Sitio Langub, Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City where the two-storey office building of the cooperative and the deep well were constructed.

The court ordered LKMPC to vacate the portion of the said property and to pay P500 a month, as a reasonable value for the use and occupation of the property, starting from October 14, 2010 until the property is vacated.

The coop has a pending motion for reconsideration on the ejectment case but Canoy is questioning the way Baring-Uy rendered her decision.

As defendant, the coop claimed that the Province of Cebu made it appear that it has an intention to sell a portion of Lot 1411 when in truth it has none, even the passage of the two Provincial Board resolutions authorizing the governor to sell the lot in dispute.

Canoy said that the court failed to persuade the Province of Cebu on their allegations that said resolutions were not implemented for “reasons undisclosed and known only to the plaintiff.”

On September 10, 2012, Canoy first filed his complaint against the judge before Cebu City Prosecutor Nicolas Sellon who allegedly claimed it has no jurisdiction.

“Only the complainant alone can bring the matter to the Supreme Court,” Canoy quoted Sellon as saying.

This prompted Canoy to file a petition for review before the Office of the Secretary of Justice against the disposition of Sellon on December 17, 2012.

Canoy said that his petition has not been answered by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima prompting him to seek the intervention of the President.—(FREEMAN)