City eyes evacuation of Qimonda occupants: Courthouses found unsafe

CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — The Cebu City government has recommended the immediate evacuation of the occupants of Qimonda IT Center, which houses the city’s courts, after an assessment found the building unsafe due to severe damage from the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck on September 30.

All court hearings and other legal services will temporarily shift to online operations for about three months while major repairs are undertaken.

A joint inspection was conducted yesterday by the Office of the Building Official, the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC), and structural engineers from the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) to assess the structural integrity of the courthouse.

In an interview after the inspection, CDRRMC Chairman Councilor Dave Tumulak said the inspecting bodies jointly recommended vacating the building and relayed the same advice to its owner.

According to him, clearing the entire Qimonda building will allow major repairs that could take up to three months.

“This is for the safety sa atong mga judges, lawyers, mga clients diri sa maong building, kay based sa recommendations sa atong mga structural engineers, nagkinahanglan gyud nga naay thorough investigation sa maong building,” said Tumulak.

He added that the investigation is necessary, citing reports from employees that the building sometimes moves even without any external disturbances. “In line with this, major repairs are deemed appropriate,” he said.

Tumulak said they recommended vacating the premises “as soon as possible.” He added that the courts have begun transitioning some operations online, including hearings.

Amid the looming closure, only the posting of bail—currently located on the ground floor—will continue to operate. However, it will soon be moved outside the building, with tents to be set up for shade.

Tumulak said the team is not discounting the possibility that the damage was caused not only by the recent 6.9-magnitude earthquake that hit Bogo City and affected Cebu City but also by previous disasters the structure had endured, including the constant operation of heavy equipment in the area due to its proximity to the international port.

He said the inspection revealed that the damage poses serious risks to occupants. To determine the full extent, the CDRRMC has asked the building’s original structural engineer and architect to help identify the areas that need repair.

As of yesterday, Tumulak said employees had started packing up their belongings in preparation for a gradual evacuation.

“Pero ang ubang mga dokumento naa ra gihapon sa taas, mosaka lang ang usa or duha, so dili gyud totally tanan anha mag hearing,” he said.

Among the visible damage were holes and cracks, while the overall structural integrity of the building is now being reassessed. Tumulak also noted the need to examine the soil foundation, as the building is believed to stand on reclaimed land.

“So i-investigate sad ni ang ilawom,” he said. “Kay duna sad silay mga gihimo nga suggestion, intervention, mga dili lang karon nga linog, klaro nga lig-on na gyud.”

Earlier, the Office of the Executive Judge of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Cebu City announced the temporary suspension of work in all first- and second-level courts in the building from October 6 to 10 to allow for structural and electrical safety inspections.

In its public notice, the RTC emphasized that the suspension was necessary to ensure the safety of judges, personnel, and the public.

The same memorandum stated that despite the suspension, courts would continue to attend to urgent judicial matters such as bail applications, release orders, petitions for habeas corpus, and marriage solemnizations on an on-call basis. Judges may also conduct video conference hearings to handle urgent cases remotely.

The directive was issued under Circular No. 291-2025 of the Supreme Court’s Office of the Court Administrator (OCA), dated October 4, 2025, and authorized by Acting Chief Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen.

This is the second time Cebu City courthouses have been displaced due to earthquake damage. In 2013, the courts were relocated to the Qimonda IT Center from the Marcelo B. Fernan Hall of Justice at the Capitol Compound after the Palace of Justice was declared unsafe following the 7.2-magnitude Bohol earthquake that also affected Cebu City.

Since then, the Supreme Court has been renting the Qimonda IT Center to serve as the city’s courthouse complex.