The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) said Thursday a court has taken jurisdiction over the issue of importing sugar after a 20-day temporary restraining order was issued on February 11.

''I hope you will understand that courts have already taken jurisdiction and let us allow the courts to take its own legal process,'' said Hermenigildo Serafica in an interview at dzBB.

On February 8, the Department of Agriculture allowed the SRA to import 200,000 metric tons of refined sugar following damage to sugar planting areas, stocks at warehouses from Typhoon ''Odette''.

The imported sugar is set to arrive on March 1.

A hearing on the motion for the writ of the preliminary injunction, which was filed by United Sugar Producers Federation (Unifed) member-association, the Rural Sugar Planters Association Inc., led by its president Joseph Edgar Sarrosa, will be held on February 24, 9 a.m. through video conference, government media said.

The Regional Trial Court Branch 73 in Sagay City, Negros Occidental issued the TRO, it added.

Manuel Lamata, Unifed president, told dzBB the importation came as ''we are on the peak of the milling season.''

''Millions and millions of bags are inside warehouses of sugar mills,'' said Lamata. DMS