PLDT sister firm’s case junked

PEOPLES JOURNAL – Hector Lawas

THE Court of Appeals has dismissed the suit filed by the Subic Telecommunications Company, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Philippine Long Distance Telecommunications Co. Inc., seeking to overturn the rejection by a lower court of its petition to operate inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

The CA held that the Regional Trial Court of Olongapo City, Branch 74, did not commit grave abuse of discretion when it rejected on June 30, 2006 Subictel’s petition on the ground that the firm engaged in forum shopping when it filed a case before the RTC which is similar to its suit pending with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.

The appellate court noted that the parties, issues raised as well as the relief’s being sought by Subictel in its administrative case pending at the SBMA are the same as those in the civil case it filed before the lower court.