SIAM, PAFI, CFI told to present sides

CEBU, Philippines - The Regional Trial Court ordered Sarraga Integrated and Management Corporation (SIAM) Broadcasting Corp., PAFI (The Sower of Seeds) Foundation and Cebu CFI Community Cooperative, Inc. to submit their respective memoranda to determine if there is a need for arbitration among them.

In yesterday’s hearing, RTC Branch 9 Judge Alexander Acosta has given the parties five days to file their written arguments before his sala to determine if there should be arbitration.

A clarificatory hearing on the memoranda of both parties is scheduled on August 12.

The temporary restraining order against SIAM Broadcasting Corp. and Cebu CFI Community Cooperative, Inc. took effect on Tuesday after PAFI Foundation posted the P1-million bond that was required by the court.

On July 30, Judge Acosta granted the TRO sought by Cebu Provincial Board Member Grecilda “Gigi” Sanchez-Zaballero, the president of PAFI Foundation, Inc., which is currently operating the three AM radio stations under El Nuevo Bantay Radyo.

The 20-day TRO restrained CFI from taking over the management and operations of radio stations dyDD or Bantay Radio based in Cebu City, dyHH based in Bogo City, and dyZZ based in Guihulngan, Negros Occidental.

The court earlier said Zaballero’s act of depositing P700,000 to SIAM’s account on April 10, 2015 constitutes a tacit renewal of the agreement on management extension.

The court scheduled a hearing yesterday to delve into the arbitration clause in the management contract previously entered into by SIAM and PAFI which requires both parties to resolve their disputes on their own before reaching to court.

This after the two parties presented conflicting views during the hearing last week on the motion filed by SIAM seeking to dismiss the damage lawsuit filed by Zaballero.

Zaballero filed a complaint before the court against SIAM and CFI, which was supposed to take over the operations of El Nuevo Bantay Radyo on August 1.  — (FREEMAN)