PERYAHAN Ng Bayan is legal and the shutting down of five collection stations is illegal.
This was the reaction Tuesday, May 21, of Globaltech that operates Peryahan Ng Bayan in the towns of Murcia, E.B. Magalona, and Hinigaran and the cities of Victorias and Himamaylan.
Atty. Bernard Vitriolo of the Legal Department of Globaltech said Tuesday to SunStar Bacolod that they will be filing motion to quash the search warrant and that they are contemplating on filing indirect contempt against the agents of the NBI and the officials of the PCSO for raiding, padlocking of collections stations and for the arrest of its 36 personnel and bet collectors on Sunday, May 19.
Vitriolo asserts that Peryahan operations all over the country is legal because of the Court of Appeals’ decision which became final and executory on February 15, 2019 and that the entry of judgment was released on May 6, 2019 of the Status Quo Ante Order questioned by the PCSO before the Court of Appeals which he claimed to have won by Globaltech.
The lawyer added that of Globaltech’s operation of Peryahan Ng Bayan it was only here in Negros Occidental where such closing down and apprehensions were made.
Vitriolo said while the PCSO has jurisdiction over Peryahan Ng Bayan, they have to honor the decision of the Court of Appeals.
“Any violation of the Law or the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Peryahan should be dealt with by the PCSO through a mechanism for settlement or an Arbitration Committee but they cannot simply put the law into their hands by padlocking the collection stations,” Vitroilo further explained.
They are also contemplating on filing a case for ignorance of law against the judge who issued the search warrants against Globaltech’s collection centers. They will file all the legal moves before the Pasig City Regional Trial Court, Vitriolo added.
He said Globaltech will soon re-open the padlocked collection stations and drawing station.
Vitriolo added that PCSO based on the court order shall be the one to send representative or personnel at the drawing stations because it is their duty.