The legal officer of Pasay City is in hot water for allegedly botching a court case over the construction of the P599-million city hall on Diosdado Macapagal Avenue.

In a resolution being wrapped up by the city council, the 12-member body is blaming Phydias Emmanuel Ramos for the decision of the Pasay regional trial court that tied the hands of the city government to deal with Young Builders Corp.

YBC won the bidding for the project in 2007 during the term of Mayor Allan Panaligan, but the city council presided over by Vice Mayor Antonino Calixto wanted it withdrawn because of alleged overpricing.

Ramos? handling of the case indicated ?wanton lack of interest? because of his absences that led to postponed hearings; he could not be reached for comment.

?By virtue of his absence, the said lawyer failed to cross-examine the plaintiff to test and destroy the plaintiff?s unfounded allegations in support of the complaint amounting to a waiver of such an important right to the damage and prejudice of the City,? the city council said.

Based on court records, Ramos, who was supposed to represent the city government, was a no-show at last Feb. 23?s hearing set for his cross-examination of YBC president Gilbert Yu over his petition for a temporary restraining order and a preliminary mandatory injunction.

Judge Eugenio de la Cruz of RTC Branch 117 calendared the hearing for Feb. 19 which was reset because Ramos was not around.

De la Cruz subsequently directed the city government to refrain from canceling its contract with YBC.

He also compelled the city council and Pasay Mayor Wenceslao Trinidad to ratify the loan agreement with the Philippine Veterans Bank to fund the construction of the four-story city hall and Hall of Justice building.

De la Cruz noted that the continued inaction of the city council put the firm?s contract in jeopardy as the availability of the loan with the bank was to lapse March 11 this year.

YBC initiated court action after the city council ordered it to return the advance payment made, alleging irregularities in the contract.

The contractor won the bidding on March 12, 2007 but only P45 million or half of the 15 percent required advance payment was made.

YBC, whose notable projects include the SM malls in Cebu and Iloilo, and the Quezon City hall building, claimed that it has spent P46 million for the ongoing construction at the reclamation area along Diosdado Macapagal Avenue.

It also said the council was sitting on the resolution that would have ratified the city?s Loan Agreement and Deeds of Assignment with the bank to enable the release of project funds. Ferdinand Fabella