Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 23) — A top agriculture official and other people involved in an allegedly illegal sugar importation must be ready to face charges, Senator Risa Hontiveros said Thursday after calling the shipments “government-sponsored smuggling.”
“Sa pag-amin kahapon ni Department of Agriculture (DA) 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,” Hontiveros wrote in a statement.
[Translation: After DA Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban admitted that they ordered three firms to import sugar, I hope they are ready to face serious criminal and administrative cases.]
The lawmaker earlier questioned the Feb. 9 arrival of imported sugar, which was ahead of the effectivity of Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Sugar Order No. 6.
She said if the SRA directive – which authorizes the importation of 440,000 metric tons (MT) of refined sugar – is to be followed, the earliest possible date for the shipments to enter the country is March 1.
Hontiveros added that three importers were already identified to be given allocations ahead of the sugar order. She said these companies are All Asian Countertrade, Sucden Philippines Inc., and Edison Lee Marketing Corporation.
“Biruin niyo, tatlong kompanya, halos na-handpicked pa, ang pinayagan na mag-angkat ng asukal para sa buong bansa,” she said on Thursday. “Di ba sa ganyan nagsisimula ang kartel? Paanong hindi mangangamoy ‘government-sponsored smuggling’ ‘yan?”
[Translation: Imagine, three companies, which even appear to be handpicked, were allowed to import sugar for the whole country. Isn’t that how cartels start? How can that not reek of government-sponsored smuggling?]
On Tuesday, the senator filed a resolution calling on the Senate Committee on Public Accountability and Investigation to probe the issue.
Panganiban earlier said he interpreted a memorandum issued to him by the Office of the Executive Secretary as a go-signal to proceed with the importation.
He added that he instructed three “capable and accredited” companies to import sugar as long as they reduce the cost of the commodity to a commercially acceptable price.
But citing Executive Order No. 18, series of 1986, Hontiveros said only the SRA has the power to issue permits on sugar importation.
“Once, and for all, para mapanatag naman ang mga consumer, nananawagan ako kay Presidente (Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.): Lagdaan na nila ang isang maayos na sugar order na hawig sa mga dating sugar orders na pangmaramihang importers,” she added.
[Translation: Once and for all, to give consumers peace of mind, I call on the President: They should sign a proper sugar order similar to previous ones which cover many importers.]
Hontiveros said if imported \”validly,\” the arrival of 440,000 MT of sugar can help bring down prices of the commodity to ₱60 per kilo. Based on the DA’s latest price monitoring, refined sugar costs ₱87 to ₱110 per kilo in Metro Manila markets.
“Pero kung cartel lang pala ang makikinabang, malamang kickbackan, kontratahan at katiwalian lang ang magiging resulta, at sa huli, hindi rin bababa presyo,” she said.
