FOLLOWING THE closure of its Rico’s Lechon branches and plant in Cebu City, allegedly for absence of a business permit, 3MRS Dionson Corp. is bringing the issue to court. In its petition for mandamus, Rico’s Lechon said it is the City Hall that failed to act on its business permit application for 2017 despite the company’s compliance with all requirements. It asked the court to order Mayor Tomas R. Osmeña and City Treasurer Tessie C. Camarillo to grant the business permit. “Until the filing of this petition, Mayor Osmeña failed and continues to fail to issue business permit to petitioner. He is hell bent in closing petitioner’s business operation by using the lame excuse that petitioner is operating without business permit when it is he who failed to act on petitioner’s application despite full compliance,” the petition reads. The company is also asking the court to order the reopening of its commissary in Barangay Talamban, which the city government closed last Friday. During the hearing on Tuesday, Regional Trial Court Judge James Stewart Ramon E. Himalaloan directed Mr. Osmeña and Ms. Camarillo to comment on the petition within 15 days. City Legal Office head Joseph U. Bernaldez said he is confident that the court will rule in favor of the city. “If you defraud a bank or a government, does not mean you are no longer guilty as long as you pay or comply? That means all the business now cheating the city can just wait until they (are) caught? Just comply and everything will be ‘okay’?” he told The Freeman. Last week, the owners of Rico’s Lechon told reporters that the city government came after them after they severed ties with Mr. Osmeña’s daughter-in-law as business partner. — The Freeman

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR