Business group calls for fast, fair resolution of Phoenix Petroleum case

The government’s main private sector partner against oil smuggling called for a fast but fair resolution of the raps being faced by listed Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc. and a Customs broker amid an existing court stay order. 

 

“We hope that the hearing of the case on the merits can immediately proceed,” Jesus Aranza, Federation of Philippine Industries chairman, noted in a statement Wednesday. 

 

The federation was citing the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) obtained by Customs broker Jorlan Cabanes last May 9 from the Court of Appeals, which barred for 60 days the Executive Department from filing the information sheet on the P5-billion case. 

 

Calling the CA's decision “a bad precedent” and “based on legal technicalities,” Aranza claimed that both arguments  of the government and the accused will be most properly ventilated during regular court proceedings.

 

“Now that we have an Executive branch that is very serious in its campaign against technical smuggling, here now comes a TRO issued by an appellate court getting in the way and preventing the case from being immediately heard on the merits,” he added. 

 

Aranza underscored the need of fast resolution of smuggling cases, noting that skirting around import duties rob the government of some P150 billion in revenues each year. 

 

On Tuesday, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima raised questions over the appellate court ruling, but Phoenix Petroleum officials said it was made in line with the course of court decisions.

 

In a heavy-worded statement to reporters on Wednesday, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima called the ruling “regrettable.”  — SOA/VS, GMA News