Agri groups call for action on cases vs judges

Agriculture industry groups are calling for a speedy resolution of cases they filed at the Supreme Court against regional trial court judges whom they accuse of being in cahoots with rice smugglers.

The Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura said there should be no delays as the High Court itself had denied petitions of rice traders who want shipments of milled rice seized by the Bureau of Customs (BoC) to be released to them.

In an April 22 resolution, the SC en banc disagreed with traders Joseph Ngo, Danilo Galang and Ivy Souza, who are claiming a total of 300,000 bags of rice.

The businessmen earlier secured temporary restraining orders from RTCs—Ngo in Davao, and Galang and Souza in Manila— against the seizure of the shipments.

The tribunal said the BoC was not covered by the TROs and, thus, can carry on with its plans on the alleged contraband.

“This [decision] should finally put an end to all misinformation and blatant lies being peddled by smugglers to confuse the public so they can get away with their smuggling activities,” said Sinag chair Rosendo So in a statement.

According to So, farmers have enjoyed “unprecedented good” farmgate prices for their palay in the past two cropping seasons —ranging from P22 to P23.50 a kilo—because of efforts against smuggling.

“The latest decision of the SC should also pave the way for the speedy resolution of the five cases we filed against erring RTC judges in cahoots with smugglers,” he added.

Sinag has filed administrative cases against Batangas RTC Judge Eutiquio L. Quitain, Manila RTC Judge Maria Paz Reyes-Yson, Manila RTC Judge Cicero Jurado and Davao RTC Judge Emmanuel Carpio for “gross misconduct and knowingly rendering an unjust judgment.”