Court hearings go online as Qimonda bldg found unsafe

Local

COURT hearings in Cebu City are moving online.

This after engineers ordered the immediate evacuation of the Qimonda I.T. Center, which suffered visible cracks from last week’s 6.9-magnitude earthquake.

A joint inspection by the Office of the Building Official (OBO), Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC), and the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) found the structure unsafe for continued use until repairs are made.

While experts said the damage is repairable, Architect Florante Catalan, head of the OBO, stressed the need to vacate the building at once to avoid potential accidents.

“Need sila mo-clean sa area para mapaspas ang trabaho. Atong ma-recommend initially is to vacate ang mga tawo para continuous ang repair ug malikayan ang disgrasya. Ang mga liki-liki pwede mahulog, maka-disgrasya gyud,” Catalan said in an interview on Tuesday, Oct. 7.

The Quimonda I.T. Center, located along Don Sergio Osmeña Avenue in the North Reclamation Area, currently houses most of Cebu City’s Regional Trial Courts (RTCs) and Municipal Trial Courts in Cities (MTCCs).

Councilor Dave Tumulak, head of CCDRRMC, confirmed that the city government and the building’s management have agreed to vacate the entire structure immediately.

“The immediate response is to vacate the building ASAP. This is for the safety of lawyers, clients, and court personnel,” Tumulak said. “Based on the recommendation of the engineers, kinahanglang gyud thorough investigation ug major repairs. Mao gyud nay recommendation — vacate the whole premises to pave the way for repairs.”

Repairs are expected to take around three months. In the meantime, court operations will move online, with bail posting still allowed at the ground floor outdoor area.

The Supreme Court, through Circular No. 291-2025 issued by the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) on October 4, also directed the temporary suspension of work in trial courts located in earthquake-damaged buildings, including those in Cebu City, Bogo City, Iloilo City, and Roxas City.

The OCA said affected courts must continue handling urgent cases—like bail applications, release orders, habeas corpus petitions, and marriage solemnizations—on an on-call basis or through videoconferencing.

“The affected courts shall remain available for essential judicial action on an on-call basis to act on urgent matters,” the circular stated.

The OCA also directed judges to coordinate with their Regional Court Administrators to find alternative venues and ensure continuity of judicial services.

According to Tumulak, the building already showed signs of structural issues after the 2013 earthquake—damage that has worsened after the latest tremor.

“Sa 2013 nga earthquake naa na s’ya. I don’t know kung unsa’y gihimo sa building administration, but before naa na gyud sya’y problema. Now, mas visible na ang damage,” he said.

Tumulak reminded building owners and safety officers that it’s their legal duty to cordon off dangerous areas and implement retrofitting as soon as risks are detected.

“That is a risky part. Maghuwat pa ba sila nga ang city government na ang musulti nila? Kabahin sa ka risgo sa maong edipisyo?” he said.

City engineers are also assessing the integrity of public school buildings following the quake. Tumulak said about 80 percent have been inspected, with 2 percent found needing major rehabilitation, mostly in mountain barangays.

Mayor Nestor Archival said cleared schools may gradually reopen for in-person classes once certified safe.

The city is also set to evaluate key infrastructure such as the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit structures ahead of its pilot run.

Archival assured residents that safety assessments remain the top priority, even as the city coordinates quake relief and repair efforts across affected areas.(TGP)