For operating sans permit: Osmeña shuts all-night diner
The Freeman
By Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday closed an eatery in barangay Kamagayan for operating without permit from the City Hall.
Osmeña ordered for the immediate closure of “Let’s Morning the Night” Resto Grill, saying he does not care if the owners of the establishment have connections from Malacañang.
“I don’t care who their connections are. Bahala og Malacañang pa. They have no business permit, they have to be closed,” Osmeña told The FREEMAN.
Kamagayan barangay captain Celestino Avila said that he served the closure order the other night. The establishment was no longer operating last night.
Gerry Marquez, city urban poor consultant, said that Osmeña received a letter last week complaining about the noise from the live band playing at the establishment. He said the mayor endorsed the letter to him for investigation.
Aside from the noise, Marquez said the establishment has no building and business permits only a fencing permit.
As its name suggests, the establishment operates from 6:00 p.m. until the wee hours in the morning. The complex has stalls on both sides with huge space at the center where people can dine and enjoy live music.
Marquez said the establishment, situated within a residential area, is owned by Eric Cullarin, who is reportedly a priest.
Osmeña’s former driver named Teban is one of the tenants of the resto grill.
Marquez said that Cullarin, together with Raul Alfafara and Dax Arcilla, was very arrogant in dealing with him when he went to the establishment to check its documents.
Alfafara, according to Marquez, is dragging the name of Presidential Management Staff director general Cerge Remonde while Arcilla claimed that he is connected with the Department of Justice.
But Remonde denied any hand in the eatery’s operation. “My goodness, no one should use my name in vain,” he said. “I’m asking the City Hall to close this establishment.”
But when told by The FREEMAN that Osmeña already closed the establishment, Remonde replied, “very good.”
Marquez added that Arcilla told him that the unsigned letter should not be acted upon but he replied that even the Ombudsman acts on anonymous complaints.
Osmeña confirmed that Alfafara and his group went to his office the other day seeking for a talk with him.
But the mayor’s secretary informed them that they have “no business permit” and that there was nothing to talk about.
Marquez said what triggered the mayor to order for the closure of the establishment was when Alfafara and his group claimed that they know Margot, the wife of the mayor.
Marquez also said that a former city councilor called him up to tell him not to pursue the closure of the establishment as they will just settle the matter because the owners are his friends.
Osmeña said the other day he does not care who owns the establishment, instructing city legal officer Rodulfo Golez to issue the closure order immediately.
“I threatened to close Pump and the owner is my friend. I threatened to close Paseo, which is owned by the wife of my city councilor. I really don’t care who owns it. Sometimes I don’t want to know who the owners are,” Osmeña said.
Both Pump and Paseo have live bands and were also the subjects of several complaints in the past because of the noise they created.
The city government then warned them to observe the city’s anti-noise ordinance. —
Closure of “Let’s Morning the Night” Resto Grill
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