BAGUIO CITY – The local legislative body approved a resolution requesting the City Mayor and the Presiding Judge of the city’s Regional Trial Court (RTC) to possibly grant the request of the management of Red Lion restaurant for an extension of its operation for another six weeks or until the end of the year before it will relocate to another area in the city.
The approval of the resolution came after Red Lion owners and employees availed of the citizen’s forum of the local legislative body wherein they reiterated that what they are clamoring for is an extension of another 6 weeks of their operation to wind up the presence of the establishment along Leonard Wood road before the same will relocate to another area.
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However, local legislators explained that the resolution will still be subject to the discretion of the local chief executive or the RTC handling the issue considering that the same has been resolved.
Earlier, the RTC allowed Red Lion restaurant to wind up its operation that was supposed to have ended last week, thus personnel of the City Permits and Licensing Division to close the said establishment pursuant to the prescribed closure order that was issued for the purpose.
Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan advised the owners of the establishment to bring their appeal to the court because the issue is no longer within the jurisdiction of the local government as the matter was brought to the attention of the court that provided the management the prescribed deadline when to close operation.
Red Lion owners questioned the local government for its alleged being selective in the implementation of closure orders considering the presence of similarly situated establishments in the area which has been declared a residential area under the city’s comprehensive zoning ordinance.
According to them, the owners even went to the extent of amending their line of business to restaurant serving beverages and wine but the location of the establishment failed to qualify for the provision of its parking requirements.
Red Lion management defended the various allegations being hurled against its operation by claiming that the brawls that have happened along the Leonard Wood area never emanated from their business but it originated from other similar establishments in the area while those who were apprehended for alleged bukas kotse activities in the area were never credited to their alert security guards and personnel.
The owners of the business stipulated that they are no longer questioning the violations that had been blamed to the existence of Red Lion in the area but what is important is for the grant of the 6-week reprieve that will allow them to wind up their operation and peacefully transfer to their proposed new location for them to be able to settle their obligation with their 48 workers and for them to use the rentals that they paid to the owner of the property for their business operation.
The local legislative body directed Secretary to the Sanggunian Atty. Brenner L. Bengwayan to fastrack the crafting of the resolution that will be transmitted to the City Mayor for his signature and the transmittal of the same to the RTC for appropriate action on the matter.
By Dexter A. See
