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Both the Cebu provincial government and a lawyer's group have put forth their arguments about the pay-parking scheme at the Capitol compound and installation of a spy camera focused on the canteen and office of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).
While the Capitol cited some legal grounds for their scheme, the lawyers may have a sympathetic court on their side against what they call an “immoral” and “illegal” imposition.
In insisting that parking space should be free, the lawyers pointed out that the city governments of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu which don't charge everyday motorists for parking space, including IBP lawyers and court officials doing business at the Capitol grounds.
They also cited the lot occupied by the Palace of Justice as proof that the Capitol doesn't own everything within their area, saying the Palace is owned by the Supreme Court of the Philippines.
Legal diversions aside, there are provincial governments which do charge for their parking space in other parts of the country, like Misamis Oriental in Mindanao for one.
However, the lawyers were right when they said parking spaces were priced unreasonably high (P20 per hour) compared to rates in commercial malls which don't charge by the hour.
Meanwhile, the presence of a surveillance camera pointed toward the IBP canteen and office is harassment and spying, lament the lawyers.
They may be correct there but then the presence of the cameras doesn't prevent them from talking shop or discussing their cases someplace else. The Capitol is obviously trying to catch some lawyers (or their clients) with their guard down. It's up to the subjects of the video to act in a circumspect manner.
Security cameras are being widely used now in shops, banks, medical establishments, and airports. Like it or not, discreet videotaping does help prevent the incidence of crime by identifying possible criminal elements.
What does this mean for the public beyond the power play?
We should be worried that the Capitol, especially some consultants, have been throwing their weight around.
That kind of attitude doesn't sit well with the courts, the lawyers and the tax-paying public.
Raising revenue and ensuring security are valid purposes of a local government unit, but this should be done with proper consultation with stakeholders and not simply imposed overnight.
Both initiatives only show the heavy handed approach of top Capitol officials and a mindset that only antagonizes those who know when it's time to push back.
