Don’t look now but…

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‘… it is interesting that the legislator calling for an investigation into the sugar mess is the honorable representative of San Juan Del Monte in Bulacan, which is the area where the Bulacan airport project is to be situated.’

I FIND it interesting that a congresswoman has filed a resolution in the House of Representatives seeking an investigation into the alleged mess enveloping the importation of sugar.

The mess centers around the volume of sugar importation approved by the Sugar Regulatory Administration and later nullified by President BBM. The approval covered 300,000 metric tons of sugar, which I am told is equal to six million bags.

The approval was contained in Sugar Order No. 4 signed by Department of Agriculture (DA) Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian and apparently approved by the SRA board. But the President, who is concurrent DA Secretary, rejected the order and stated that as Secretary and SRA Board chair he had never convened the board to approve the order.

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Sebastian, in response, is said to have rendered his resignation as DA undersecretary. As a career service official, that means he will be on floating status unless given a new assignment.

Why did I say that I find it interesting that a member of the House is calling for an investigation on the matter? Such is an everyday occurrence in past administrations. We Filipinos are so used to something like this we already don’t know whether Congress exists to investigate or to legislate!

But this is interesting for a number of reasons.

First, it happens so early in the life of an administration. I am not sure if there has been any previous administration that had only been in office for three months but was already facing an investigation.

Second, the sugar issue seems to be dragging Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez into the matter. But remember that Malacanang has been described as a “snake pit” by no less than presidential sister and Sen. Imee Marcos; this could very well be just some of the snakes hitting out at others.

But third, it is interesting that the legislator calling for an investigation into the sugar mess is the honorable representative of San Juan Del Monte in Bulacan, which is the area where the Bulacan airport project is to be situated. This is the same Bulacan airport project that has been put in jeopardy when President BBM, in the very first act of his administration, vetoed the bill creating a special economic zone in the San Juan del Monte area. Are the two issues connected?

Don’t look now but things are a-stir – and we are not even at the exciting part yet!

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