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NEGROS. Unifed president Manuel Lamata (File photograph)
“The second Administrator Serafica indicators and makes that draft SO4 as official, we’ll haul him in courtroom once more for contempt and search his arrest for defying the continued case filed in opposition to him associated to the suspended SO3,” Lamata mentioned in a press release yesterday, April 8.
In February this 12 months, the Sagay Metropolis and Himamaylan Metropolis Regional Trial Courts issued separate preliminary injunctions in opposition to the importation of 200,000 MT of sugar below SO3.
“This proposed SO4 is a slap on the faces of the 2 regional trial courts right here that issued rulings to halt any importation program pending a last decision to the circumstances that has been deemed to trigger harm to the sugar trade,” he mentioned.
Lamata added that the draft, issued final April 5, is “tantamount to a midnight deal that may clearly enormously profit the economic customers, notably the bottling corporations.”
Of the proposed quantity of sugar imports, 250,000 MT can be refined sugar, 150,000 MT of which was specified as premium grade or bottlers’ grade refined sugar. The remaining 100,000 MT can be uncooked sugar.
The Unifed official mentioned that whereas they don’t seem to be in opposition to any importation based mostly on factual provide and demand information from the bottom, “this proposed import program is clearly favouring a selected sector and that’s what we’re in opposition to at.”
Earlier, Senator Imee Marcos, who chairs the Senate Financial Affairs Committee, additionally referred to as out Agriculture Secretary William Dar to chorus from signing the draft SO4.
Marcos described the agriculture state as “an epic catastrophe” and warned about approving any “midnight specific deal” relating to the sugar importation.
Senate Majority Chief Juan Miguel Zubiri additionally issued a press release condemning the proposed SO4 citing the pending courtroom circumstances.
“Our courts have already landed on the aspect of our sugar farmers final February, so it’s disheartening that we’re having the identical dialog about importation once more,” Zubiri mentioned.
“Lest the SRA can be accused of this being a midnight deal bereft of propriety and due course of. They need to not permit this whereas our farmers are harvesting their crops,” he added. (PR)
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