Bantay Radyo stays with PAFI

CEBU, Philippines - The Regional Trial Court has ordered Sarraga Integrating and Management Broadcasting Network to return the parts of the three El Nuevo Bantay Radyo transmitters that it has taken to prevent the radio stations from going on air.

 Cebu Provincial Board Member Grecilda “Gigi” Sanchez-Zaballero, president of PAFI Foundation, Inc., which is currently operating the three radio stations, is hoping that they can resume broadcast very soon.

 In a joint order dated August 24, 2015, RTC Cebu City Branch 9 Presiding Judge Alexander Acosta also granted the application for a writ of preliminary injunction enjoining the Cebu CFI Community Cooperative, Inc. from taking over the management and operations of Bantay Radyo facilities.

 In the same order, the court denied the partial motion for reconsideration filed by CFI and declared the jurisdiction to hear and resolve the instant case as well as the application for temporary restraining order and writ of preliminary injunction.

 “Lastly, it is worthy to state that the ultimate purpose of a writ of preliminary injunction, when issued, is to prevent threatened or continuous irremediable injury to some of the parties before their claims can be thoroughly studied and adjudicated. Its sole office is to preserve the status quo until the merits of the case can be heard fully,” read the joint order. 

 On July 30, 2015, the court granted the application for TRO sought by Zaballero.

The controversy started after Zaballero received a notice from SIAM telling that CFI has been awarded by the network to operate and manage the stations starting August 1. PAFI filed a civil case against SIAM and CFI.

However, the three radio stations went off air past midnight of August 1 after SIAM removed the exciters of the transmitters.

People allegedly hired by the network simultaneously stormed the transmitters of radio stations dyDD in Inayawan, Cebu City, dyHH in Bogo City, and dyZZ in Guihulngan, Negros Oriental to remove the exciters.

 The exciter is the “heart” of the transmitter and without it they could not broadcast on air. — (FREEMAN)