Trader sued for snubbing state survey
A business owner and his employee in Cebu City are in hot water for refusing to fill up a survey questionnaire of the Philippine Statistical Authority (PSA) for the agency’s data bank.
A criminal charge was filed against Johnson Lo Jr., owner of Red Tag Events & Production, and his employee Rhomie Belandres, before the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) Branch 4.
The company located in Sunset Drive in barangay Lahug is engaged in events, graphics design and digital printing.
A Cebu City judge has ordered the arrest of both men for failing to attend their court arraignment seven times.
The survey called the 2012 Census of Philippines Business and Industry is undertaken by the PSA (formerly the National Statistics Office) to collect information about various economic activities, including employment, income, compensation and total assets.
Confidential
The data, which is treated as confidential information, will be used as basis for making policies and economic development plans, as well as to measure economic growth.
Judge Alberto Pita issued an arrest warrant for Lo and Belandres to compel them to show up in court to answer a charge for violation of section 3 of Commonwealth Act No. 591, which mandates any person who receives a questionnaire from NSO to “accomplish such questionnaire or form.”
Violators face a fine of P600 or prison term of six month or both as determined by the court.
The NSO’s complaint said a Survey of Enterprises in the Philippines (SEP) questionaire was personally given to the company in Aug. 23, 2012 by an NSO regional 7 statistical officer. It was received by Lo and was to be filled up by his staff member Belandres.
In spite of follow ups and a Sept. 2 deadline to answer the questionnaire, the company did not respond. A December 10 demand letter was sent for Red Tag to submit the accomplished questionnaire but parties did not comply.
“The survey questionnaire is of national signifance as the data collected through it would be useful to economic and business managers, both in the government and private sectors,” said Estela Rosales, NSO statistical coordination officer in the complaint.
“That is why the NSO strictly monitors the completion of the questionnaires.
When police went to the address of Red Tag last Thursday to serve the arrest warrant, the two accused were not around. A certain Attorney Arnado called the police later to say he would present both men during their scheduled arraignment before Judge Pita on Monday.
“According to Atty. Arnado, his clients will just show up in court,” said PO1 Michael Singson of the Cebu City Police Office.
The judge earlier set the arraignment on Sept. 16, 2013. The date was reset to Jan. 6, 2014 then July 14, August 28, September 16, September 29, and October 23 but the accused never showed up.
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