Contempt case vs SIAM, coop set for hearing

CEBU, Philippines - Regional Trial Court Judge Alexander Acosta of Branch 9 is set to hear the petition for contempt of court filed by the PAFI (The Sower of Seeds) Foundation against Sarraga Integrated and Management Corp. (SIAM) and Cebu CFI Community Cooperative Inc. for allegedly defying court order.

The petition for contempt of court was originally filed before RTC Judge Sylva Paderanga but she remanded the case before the Office of the Clerk of Court.

Paderanga cited Section 4, Rule 17 of the Revised Rules of Court, which provides that the contempt shall be heard in the same court that tries the main case.

“This court is of the opinion and so holds that this case should remain in the court where the main action is being heard,” the order read.

Acosta, who hears the civil case filed by Provincial Board Member Grecilda Sanchez-Zaballero over the turnover of a three AM stations under El Nuevo Bantay Radyo to the Cebu CFI Community Cooperative Inc., earlier issued a 20-day temporary restraining order.

However, this was allegedly defied by the respondents.

Petitioner alleged the “exciters” from their radio stations located in Negros Oriental, Bogo City, and Cebu City were pulled out from each radio transmitters despite the issuance of TRO.

PAFI represented by its vice president Eliodoro “Yody” Sanchez alleged the acts of respondents were illegal and immoral.

“…in complete defiance to the TRO issued by the court, respondents, through one Arleen Jimenez or their representatives, agents, or persons acting upon their orders and direction, through force and intimidation, inflicted upon petitioner’s technician radio operators and senior broadcast technicians at a little past midnight or early morning or dawn of August 1, 2015…in petitioner’s transmitters,” the petition read.

Main case

Zaballero alleged that before the expiration of the contract of management entered into by PAFI and SIAM, the PAFI initiated the talk with the SIAM in December 2014 for the renewal of the management contract as legitimate manager and operator of radio stations DyDD or bantay Radio, DyHH, and DyZZ which would expire on July 31, 2015.

On April 10, 2015, PAFI deposited P700,000 to the account of SIAM.

However, Zaballero said after she came back from the United States, she was shocked when she received a letter from SIAM that it will not renew its contract with PAFI. Instead, SIAM will enter into a contract with Cebu CFI Community Cooperative Inc. because the latter reportedly has a higher offer compared to PAFI.  (FREEMAN)