City closes Rico’s plant

CEBU, Philippines - After closing the establishment’s two branches in Cebu City, the city government closed the main plant of Rico’s Lechon in Barangay Talamban yesterday morning because of an absence of an approved final business permit for a year.

The commissary’s plant manager, Rel Deloria, received the closure order.

The city health department and Department of Veterinary Medicines and Fisheries also inspected the area.

City health officer, Doctor Alma Corpin, said the commissary was operating while its sanitary permits were still being processed.

Alice Utlang said they noticed only last June that the commissary is not registered with her office.

At the City Hall yesterday, Mayor Tomas Osmeña said personal reasons have nothing to do with the closure of the company’s two branches at the Axis Entertainment Avenue along Escario Street and on F. Cabahug Street.

He said the city is just implementing the law and Rico’s Lechon violated the city’s revised omnibus tax ordinance.            

He said the establishment can no longer reopen even if it complies with permit requirements.

Osmeña said Rico’s Lechon is among 14,413 business establishments in Cebu City that are operating without a business permit.

Aside from Rico’s Lechon’s commissary, the city also closed Chuva-Chuva Spa in Barangay Mabolo.

Lies

Last Thursday, Enrico “Rico” Dionson, chief executive officer and owner of Rico’s Lechon, said the city government started running after them when they decided to stop their partnership with the mayor’s daughter-in-law, Bea Villegas, in their Mabolo branch.

“That’s why, if you read the evidence, you can see that it was being herself (Bea Villegas)…it’s there, it’s recorded. That’s why I’m hurt because it makes Rico and her daughters a certified liar. Now, they are making all kinds of allegation,” Osmeña told reporters.

The mayor posted on his Facebook account the exchange of text messages between his daughter-in-law and Rico’s daughter, Susan Clair Dionson, which showed that Villegas followed-up on the store’s business permit several times, at least three times this year on February 2, July 1 and July 3.

Osmeña said it was not his daughter-in-law’s responsibility to process the business permit for the branch. 

Earlier, Dionson’s camp said they trusted Villegas to work on their permits. Villegas was a partner of the Dionsons for five years.

“In the case of Rico’s, it’s really an insult kay klaro kaayo just because he is doing business with my daughter-in-law nga iyang gi-take advantage nga dili siya kailangan mobayad og buwis,” Osmeña said.

“I got hurt when people who are supposed to be friends, their interior motives are internal protection, dili na mada, not under my shift. I made enemies as a mayor because I say no to friends,” he added.

Dionson supported Osmeña’s campaign in the last elections.

Osmeña, however, said he does not want to see his former friend anymore.

 “No, I don’t want to see his face because I will kick him. I hate a traitor. That’s my experience. Excuse me, I hate traitors,” he said. (FREEMAN)