Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 22) — Former Sugar Regulatory Administration chief Hermenegildo Serafica admitted on Monday that the referendum conducted to pass Sugar Order No. 4 was not approved by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who also sits as agriculture chief.
During a joint hearing of the House of Representatives’ committees on agriculture as well as good government and public accountability, Quezon Rep. David Suarez asked the resigned official if they pushed through with the referendum despite getting no response from Marcos — the chairman of the Sugar Board — on their proposal to import 300,000 metric tons of sugar.
“Yes, your honor,” Serafica told lawmakers.
Serafica explained that in the exercise of its functions, the board may decide on matters through a board meeting or referendum. To hold the referendum, the Office of the Board Secretary emails all members of the board the agenda and supporting materials. Board members may manifest their questions or concerns. After all those are settled, the members will then vote on the issue being discussed.
He said the Sugar Board is composed of the Department of Agriculture chief who is the ex-officio chairman, the SRA chief as vice chairman, and two other members representing the millers and planters. The ex-officio chairman may designate an ex-officio alternate, whose acts shall be considered as his acts.
During the hearing, Committee on Good Governance and Public Accountability Chairperson Rep. Florida Robes also asked former Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian if he requested for the approval of the chief executive before he signed the resolution.
“The answer will be no Madam,” Sebastian said.
Lawmakers have started looking into what Malacañang has called the illegal signing of Sugar Oder No. 4. Aside from Serafica and Sebastian, millers’ representative Roland Beltran also resigned.
During the hearing, Serfica assured the lawmakers he did not neglect sugar farmers, who he said were consulted on the crafting of the order.
Upon the instruction of the president, SRA submitted a sugar importation program on Aug. 5, which was emailed to Sebastian and to the Office of the Executive Secretary, Serafica noted.
Sebastian said he also issued a memo regarding the proposal, but there was no response from the president.
Internal squabbles
During the hearing, it was also revealed that there was a squabble among SRA officials regarding Memorandum Circular No. 1, series of 2022, which declared several posts in the executive department vacant as the Duterte administration ended.
Serafica said he is not covered by the memo, as noted by Memorandum Circular No. 3 that government owned and controlled corporations like SRA are exempted. However, he said his deputies and legal department assigned an officer-in-charge, effectively ignoring his authority.
“I was a victim of MC 1… I felt not to create chaos in the office, I just packed up my things and stepped aside,” Serafica said. “I felt that they breached my trust.”
Meanwhile, Guillermo Tejida III, deputy administrator for regulations of SRA, revealed that the management was not consulted on the crafting of Sugar Order No. 4
Asked why this happened when this has not occurred before, Serafica pointed to the same issue that has “changed the dynamics in the office” of the SRA.
