Task force proposed
vs. sugar smuggling
BY CARLA GOMEZ

An anti-sugar smuggling task force is being readied against the entry of cheap imported sugar that would drive down domestic farm gate prices, Sugar Regulatory Administrator Rafael Coscolluela said yesterday.

Sugar and business leaders in Negros Occidental Wednesday rejected labor's petition for a P75 hike in daily wages, citing an expected drop in domestic farm gate sugar prices when the milling season starts in September because of an overhang in supply believed caused by smuggling.

Coscolluela, who took over from James Ledesma as SRA chief yesterday, met with leaders of the Philippine Sugar Alliance Wednesday night on how they can jointly battle sugar smuggling.

Coscolluela takes
over as SRA chief
BY ROLANDO ESPINA

Presidential Assistant for the Western Visayas Rafael Coascolluela took over the Sugar Regulatory Administration from outgoing Sugar Regulatory Administrator James Ledesma yesterday.

Two major problems confront the new SRA leader - the decreasing consumption of sugar and the problem of bio-fuel, especially ethanol. And, of course, the domestic price of sugar.

In a press conference, Coscolluela, assisted by Ledesma, said that the sugar alliance leaders had urged Environment Secretary Angelo Reyes to convene at the earliest time possible the National Bioethanol Board so that it can craft solutions to hurry up biofuel production and how the government can spur the private sectors to invest in ethanol and jatropha use as biofuel ingredients.

2 officials of
CLMMRH hitting back
BY CARLA GOMEZ

An official of the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in Bacolod City has filed a case against Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and three others before the Bacolod City Regional Trial Court seeking the declaration of his suspension as null and void, and payment for the time he has been away from work.

Bryan Baylon, CLMMRH administrative officer, whom Duque ordered suspended for 90 days starting July 10, filed a petition for prohibition with preliminary injunction with damages Wednesday, his lawyer Jerry Basiao said yesterday. Baylon had been suspended for allegedly tampering with his daily time record that he has vehemently denied.

Basiao said the DOH has no jurisdiction to suspend Baylon since it had filed a case against him before the Ombudsman also seeking his suspension. The Ombudsman has not ordered the suspension of Baylon, he said.