MANILA, Philippines — What was once called an “illegal” order to bring in sugar from abroad has been ruled a simple case of miscommunication as Malacañang absolved former agriculture officials involved in the botched importation plan.
While the Office of the President absolved the former officials from any charges related to the sugar importation mess, it still "admonished" them "to be more prudent and circumspect in the performance of their duties." These duties are no longer theirs as most of them quit their posts in the middle of the mess.
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According to News5, the Office of the President has ruled that the issuance of the controversial Sugar Order No. 4, which would have brought in 300,000 metric tons of sugar into the country, was done in good faith.
It found that the former agriculture officials only thought they were allowed to sign off on the importation order even without the approval of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who also heads the agriculture department, due to "miscommunication" brought about by a memorandum from then Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez, who has since left government service.
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Former Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian previously justified his signing of SO No. 4 by citing a memo from Rodriguez, which he said gave him the impression that he had the power to sign on behalf of Marcos.
Malacañang’s ruling is in stark contrast with the Senate Blue Ribbon committee’s recommendation to file graft, smuggling and usurpation of official functions complaints against Sebastian, former Sugar Regulatory Administration head Hermenegildo Serafica, former Sugar Regulatory Administration board member Roland Beltran and current member Aurelio Valderrama Jr.
Valderrama said last August that he would not resign, with the Daily Guardian in Iloilo City quoting him as saying: "I am just holding on to the position simply because I need to clear my name to the people that have supported me."
The Senate panel also recommended to the Office of the Ombudsman the filing of administrative charges against the four officials for serious dishonesty, grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service and gross insubordination under the revised rules on administrative cases in the civil service. — Xave Gregorio with reports from News5/Shyla Francisco