Executive Secretary thanks Senate for swift probe on sugar import order

MANILA, Philippines — After he was cleared in the sugar importation mess by the Senate Blue Ribbon committee, Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez thanked members of the panel and assured them that their recommendations would be taken seriously.

“We thank the Blue Ribbon committee members for their swift investigation, which left no stone unturned. Rest assured that the committee recommendations will be taken to heart by the concerned agencies under the DA (Department of Agriculture),” Rodriguez said in a recent Facebook post.

The controversy stemmed from the release of Sugar Order No. 4 allowing the importation of 300,000 metric tons of sugar without the approval of President Marcos, who is also the agriculture secretary and chairman of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) board.

The order, which was signed for Marcos by Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian, had sought to address complaints about the “unavailability” of sugar in the market and “address the current sugar supply situation and its increasing prices.” Malacañang has launched a probe on the fiasco.

The Senate Blue Ribbon committee, which is tasked to look into alleged wrongdoings of the government and its officials, also conducted its own investigation on the issue.

Sebastian, former SRA chief Hermenegildo Serafica and SRA board member Roland Beltran have resigned from their posts.

However, Malacañang confirmed recently that Sebastian’s resignation has not been acted upon since he is still under preventive suspension.

The Senate Blue Ribbon committee has recommended the filing of criminal and administrative cases against Sebastian, Serafica, Beltran and former SRA board member Aurelio Valderrama Jr. for alleged “serious dishonesty, grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service and gross insubordination.”

Fourteen of 17 panel members signed the report containing the recommendation, which came out after three hearings on the botched sugar importation.

According to the committee, Sebastian, Serafica, Beltran and Valderrama are not authorized to sign the sugar order.

The committee cleared Rodriguez, who revealed during one of the hearings that his office got the draft sugar order from Sebastian last Aug. 5.

According to Rodriguez, Sebastian had asked him twice through text messages if Marcos had directives on the sugar issue as well as on farming modernization and fertilizers for farmers.

The Executive Secretary said he purposely did not answer Sebastian because the President had no response on the matters.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III and Sen. Risa Hontiveros did not sign the report and are planning to come up with their own. Hontiveros also described Sebastian, Serafica, Beltran and Valderrama as “fall guys.”

“Of course, the President can retract orders and override policy, but I believe Undersecretary Sebastian when he says he was of the good faith belief that the importation not only was necessary, it had the support of the Chief Executive,” she said.

“If the President wanted to recall SO (Sugar Order) 4, it is perfectly within his province to do so, but to throw everything but the kitchen sink on Usec. Sebastian, who did not earn from it, discourages government officials from acting with urgency on matters that affect consumers, like tight supply, high prices and inflation,” she added.

Tolentino has said there is no sufficient evidence to counter Rodriguez’s testimony.

“They know that a non-reply, among others, would not be tantamount to approval,” the senator said.

The panel report is scheduled to be presented to the Senate plenary on Sept. 12.