Hontiveros wants entry of 260 shipping containers of sugar probed

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Risa Hontiveros is seeking a Senate inquiry into the alleged arrival of 260 shipping containers of sugar in the country last week ahead of the issuance of Sugar Order (SO) No. 6.

Hontiveros filed Senate Resolution 487 directing the Senate committee on public accountability and investigation to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation into the alleged sugar shipments that arrived in Batangas on Feb. 9.

“(About) 260 containers… the latest we know is the one that appeared in the news. But based on these documents that I am sharing, these should be considered smuggled and confiscated. Investigate and prosecute those who imported it earlier than the date of application and especially before the date of award of allocation,” Hontiveros said in Filipino.

The senator said the investigation should cover possible provisions of SO No. 6 that may be open to abuse, patronage and cartelization.

Citing sources and media reports, Hontiveros said the shipment, reportedly consigned to the All Asian Counter Trade Inc., arrived on board three vessels and used three shippers.

“The subject of the investigation is who could be behind the three importers. Who are they? Could they be politicians or not,” she said.

On Feb. 15, the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) issued SO No. 6, allowing the importation of 440,000 metric tons of sugar.

The order states that the SRA should only begin accepting applications for five calendar dates from the date of effectivity of the SO No. 6, which is on Feb. 18.

The SRA should only award allocations for five calendar days after the last day of receiving the applications.

“Going by the timeline in the issuance, the earliest date to bring in imported sugar under SO No. 6 is on March 1,” she said.

“According to the same sources, there are already three identified importers  and at least two of the importers have purportedly received, as early as Jan. 13, letters from the Department of Agriculture granting them authority to import sugar in specified quantities, even when the mandate to authorize sugar importation is with the SRA,” Hontiveros said.