Funds ready for DOJ building in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Justice now has available funds for the construction of its own building, says Cebu provincial prosecutor Pepita Jane Petralba.

Petralba said the availability of the funds was relayed to her by prosecutor general Claro Arellano.

Petralba said they are set to meet with Governor Hilario Davide III next week to ask for a lot where the DOJ building will be constructed. The DOJ offices in Cebu shared with the courts at the Marcelo B. Fernan Hall of Justice.

However, the building was declared unsafe by the Office of the Building Officials following the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that hit Cebu and its neighboring provinces in Central Visayas last year.

The Provincial Prosecutor’s Office and the Regional State Prosecutor’s Office were forced to rent a building at the Taft Commercial Center along Osmeña Boulevard. The City Prosecutor’s Office continues to occupy the left wing of the ground floor of  the Palace of Justice despite the recommendation to abandon the building.

 The provincial prosecutor’s office also continue to hold inquest proceedings at the  Integrated Bar of the Philippines building at the Capitol compound.

“Inquest and filing of cases here at IBP building but pwede sad if regular filing pwede i-file sa Taft Commercial Center nga office,” Petralba said.

Petralba said they hope to finish the construction of the DOJ building within 10 months if  there is already lot available.

The new building will house the Office of the Regional State Prosecutor, Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office, Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office, Parole and Probation and the Public Attorney’s Office.

Petralba admitted that the situation has affected the disposal of cases.

“Daghang pending  naglisud ta’g plastar sa mga records, most especially sa city,” Petralba added. (FREEMAN)