Senator Risa Hontiveros on Thursday floated potential administrative and felony expenses towards Senior Agriculture Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban over the importation of 260 20-foot containers of sugar from Thailand.
Hontiveros issued the assertion a day after Panganiban mentioned he proceeded with a direct importation of sugar as he thought of a memorandum launched by the Office of the Executive Secretary a sugar order.
Hontiveros questioned anew the Department of Agriculture’s “handpicked” corporations who imported tons of sugar into the nation, saying that is how cartels are fashioned.
She added that importing 450,000 metric tons of sugar could be thought of an financial sabotage.
“Ayon sa batas, sa Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act, bawal ang pagpasok sa bansa ng asukal na hindi bababa sa P1,000,000 ang halaga, at walang tamang permit,” she mentioned.
(Our legal guidelines, particularly the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act, penalizes as such the entry of sugar value not lower than P1,000,000 with out legitimate permits.)
“Kaya sa pag-amin kahapon ni Department of Agriculture Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban na sila ang namili at nag-utos sa tatlong kompanya na mag-import, sana ay handa silang humarap sa mga seryosong kasong kriminal at administratibo,” she added.
(So when Department of Agriculture Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban yesterday admitted freely that they had been those who handpicked and ordered the three corporations to import sugar, we hope that they’re able to face severe felony and administrative expenses.)
GMA News Online has reached out to the DA and to Panganiban’s workplace for his or her remark, however they’ve but to reply as of posting time.
Hontiveros additional mentioned solely the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), and never Panganiban on his personal, has the authority to situation permits and licenses like sugar orders to import the commodity into the nation below the SRA constitution.
“Pitong buwan na mula nang mabulgar ang sugar import fiasco, bagong fiasco ulit? Sino na naman ang nag-utos niyan? Sino at ano ang nag-udyok sa kanila na gawin ang ika niya ay ‘hasty decision’ na yan?” Hontiveros requested.
(Seven months because the sugar import fiasco was first uncovered, do we have now one other fiasco right here? Who are the masterminds once more accountable? What- or who – had been the explanations as to why the USec. was compelled to make such ‘hasty choices’?)
“Once, and for all, para mapanatag naman ang mga consumers, nananawagan ako kay Presidente: lagdaan na nila ang isang maayos na sugar order na hawig sa mga dating sugar orders na pangmaramihang importers,” she added.
(Once and for all, for the peace of thoughts and wallets of our shoppers, I urge the President to already lead the signing of an above-board sugar order akin to previous sugar orders authorizing a number of importers to import sugar.)
The SRA not too long ago launched an order authorizing the importation of 440,000 metric tons of refined sugar even with out the signature of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who sits as chairman of the SRA Board in his capability as Secretary of Agriculture.
SO No. 6, uploaded on the SRA web site, confirmed that the doc was transmitted to the Office of the President on February 9, 2023.
The doc was signed by SRA Administrator David John Thaddeus Alba (vice-chairperson), SRA Board members Mitzi Mangwag (millers’ consultant), and Pablo Luiz Azcona (planters’ consultant).
Also a signatory within the newest order was Panganiban.
Hontiveros mentioned the costs of products is not going to be honest if the SRA is not going to comply with the legislation.
“Bakit mistulang gobyerno na mismo ang bumuo ng tatlong kompanya ang magdidikta ng presyo ng asukal para sa Pilipinas? Kung tutuusin at hindi dadaan sa cartel, pwedeng pababain ng 440,000 metric ton ng validly imported na asukal ang presyo ng asukal sa ating bansa pabalik sa P60 kada kilo,” she mentioned.
(Why does the federal government appear to allow three corporations to dictate the worth of sugar within the Philippines? The factor is, the legitimate importation of 440,000 metric tons of sugar — one which didn’t move by way of any cartel — might assist rather a lot in bringing down the worth of sugar to P60 per kilo. )
Last Tuesday, Hontiveros referred to as for an investigation into the February 9 arrival of 260 20-foot containers of sugar from Thailand, which she mentioned weren’t lined by sugar orders.
Hontiveros mentioned Panganiban — who represented Marcos within the SRA Board — had a January 12 letter addressed to one of many importers saying that the allocation was “per instruction of Executive Secretary [Lucas] Bersamin.”
The SRA — by way of Board Member Pablo Azcona—mentioned it was presently validating Hontiveros’ claims, and that the supposed letter from Panganiban wanted to be validated for the company to present its response.
In an interview with reporters on Wednesday, Azcona mentioned the DA was “allowed to do importation as well.”
However, the SRA board official mentioned that “if the letter is valid then we have to sit down with the people concerned and ask why such a letter exists and what the program is all about.”
On Wednesday, Hontiveros mentioned Marcos and Bersamin might make clear the alleged government-sponsored sugar smuggling. —KBK, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
