Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 7) — The Senate on Monday adopted the Blue Ribbon Committee’s report on the sugar importation controversy, which sought charges against some former officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA) while clearing former Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez.
The report recommended charges against suspended Undersecretary Leo Sebastian and three other signatories of Sugar Order No. 4, which was supposed to import 300,000 metric tons of sugar, apparently without authorization from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who also serves as Agriculture chief.
The Blue Ribbon report, filed in September, was again tackled in the plenary when it reconvened on Monday after a month-long break. There were no objections to its approval.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel said the minority did not propose amendments anymore since the bloc already filed its own report. For the minority, the signatories acted in good faith while Rodriguez should be investigated.
Blue Ribbon Chairman Francis Tolentino said “the minority report shall be appended and made part of the committee report for purposes of transmittal to other government agencies and to the public.”
Tolentino added that a copy of the committee report was furnished to the Department of Justice, Commission on Audit, Office of the Ombudsman, and the Bureau of Immigration “for their information and appropriate action.”
