Farmers seeking the distribution of the 157-hectare Hacienda Bacan in Negros Occidental, owned by First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, have asked the Supreme Court to investigate the injunction order issued last July 20 by the Regional Trial Court of La Carlota City against the registration of their certificate of land ownership award, a Task Force Mapalad press release said.

The farmers are seeking a dialog with the high court Chief Justice Reynato Puno through Bishop Broderick Pabillo to probe Presiding Judge Francisco Rodriguez of the RTC Branch 63 of La Carlota City for alleged grave abuse of authority and for possible violation of the agrarian reform law.

Hacienda Bacan farmer beneficiary Rogelio Salva said the farmers view the injunction order as a violation of agrarian law provisions, both under Republic Act 6657 and Republic Act 9700, which extended CARP for another five years.

Senate action sought vs. firm

Prompted by a complaint of a group of stroke victims that a big drugstore chain has refused to sell a cheap anti-hypertension drug, Sen. Mar Roxas has asked the Senate to pursue further investigation into “unfair trade practices” and “bullying” of pharmaceutical company, Pfizer, to force Filipinos to buy its more expensive medicine exclusively, a press release from his office said.

Roxas, primary author of the Cheaper Medicines Act, or Republic Act 9502, that provided measures so the government can cut drug prices drastically to benefit consumers, has been intervening with the legislature's investigative powers to make Pfizer and other pharmaceutical companies lower their prices to match those in other countries, the press release said.

‘RBMI record proves stability'

Recognized as the Most Outstanding Rural Bank in the Philippines for calendar year 2008, the Rural Bank of Marayo Inc., celebrated its 40 th anniversary with a promise of “constant innovation and new ways to satisfy the needs of their clients,” RBMI chairman Franklin Fuentebella said at the Planta Centro-Bacolod Saturday.

In their 40 years in the banking business, Fuentebella said they were gratified and proud to survive and made the province progress.

Though many banks closed down due to the Asian financial crisis and put to question the stability of the other banks, RBMI stood stable despite all these, Fuentebella added.

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