Mighty Not Involved in US Court Cases

Filipino owned and operated cigarette manufacturer Mighty Corporation has clarified reports, through their Executive Vice President and Official Spokesperson Osacar Barrientos, of court cases of “unfair competition” against it in three states in the US was a simple case of mistaken identity.

“Mighty Corp. has not been involved in any suit in the United States of America,
specifically court cases in the states of California, Oregon and Oklahoma.” said the Mighty Executive and retired Trial Judge Oscar Barrientos.

Mighty Corporation's EVP and Spokesperson Retired Judge Oscar Barrientos

“The court cases mentioned in media reports pertain to a class suit filed by American consumers against some cigarette manufacturers and the three federal states mentioned. Mighty is not one of those manufacturers.” Barrientos added.

The case has resulted in an amicable agreement with the defendants that provides an contractual agreement fund by the three cigarette manufacturers.

Incidentally, one of the manufacturers is Philip Morris International, whose local unit Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp. is currently in a not-so-good marketing war with Mighty Corporation.

“The only Filipino company registered in the settlement agreement is a company called Pacific Stanford. And the only link Mighty Corp. has in these suits is the fact that one of the stockholders of Pacific Stanford is a minority shareholder in our company. No products of Mighty Corp. were involved in these suits.” Barrientos said.

“Because of this fact, we were never notified by the courts concerned, nor were we ever served any summons. The fines stated in the judgments rendered by the US courts are also not enforceable in the Philippines.” added the retired judge.

"Considering that the case is already more than 10 years from the date of the final judgment, the same cannot before enforced under our laws." as clarified by the seasoned trial judge and Mighty Corp executive.

“He who sleeps on his right shall lose the right to enforce the same, including the right to enforce a foreign Judgment.” Barrientos ended.

The decisions were handed down in June, calling for the defendants to pay a total of $21.3 million in fines.

Barrientos also clarified that the US cases had proven critical to non-US companies since the judgments effectively banned Philippine companies like Mighty Corporation from selling cigarettes in the US.