THE Senate Blue Ribbon committee which is looking into the sugar importation mess will come up with a partial report next week even if Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez will again skip the panel’s hearing, according to Sen. Francis Tolentino.
Some senators see Rodriguez as key to the issuance last month of an order that would have allowed the importation of 300,000 metric tons of sugar. But the order issued by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) was rejected by President Marcos Jr, with Malacañang saying it was unauthorized.
Rodriguez attended the first hearing but did not stay for long. He was absent in the second hearing held last Tuesday. The Palace said he had to attend the Cabinet meeting.
The panel’s third hearing is set for September 6.
Tolentino, Blue Ribbon chair, said Wednesday night a partial report is ready.
“Palagay ko isa na lang na mas malalim, magkakaroon na ng conclusion. Kapag hinabaan pa natin, iikot na tayo (I think we only need one more hearing and we will already have a conclusion. If we prolong it, we might be running in circles),” he said.
“May partial recommendation na (There is a partial recommendation) that can be released even while waiting for other persons that could be tied up with the rest,” he added.
He said if Rodriguez cannot attend the next scheduled hearing, the panel will come up with the partial report.
If he cannot cannot attend, “inferences will be made,” he said.
Tolentino said he has established the following facts after the second hearing: that Sugar Order No. 4, which would have allowed the importation of 300,000 MT of sugar, was issued without authority from higher ups; the content of SO4 was contrary to laws; and the SRA removed the performance bond, among others.
On Rodriguez, Tolentino said the official sent him a letter Tuesday morning informing the committee of his absence in the next hearing scheduled on September 6 because he will be busy preparing for President Marcos’ overseas trips.
Marcos leaves on Sunday for his first presidential trip abroad, to Indonesia and Singapore, until September 7.
Tolentino said he understands Rodriguez but the committee’s invitation “still remains.”
He also said part of the letter states that Rodriguez believes he has stated what needs to be said when he attended the first hearing.
“We all know that he is preoccupied with so many things because the President will go to Indonesia, Singapore, and the UN and he is the one who’s planning for them. If he will not join the UN trip, he might be the caretaker of the Office of the President. But the invitation of the Senate remains,” Tolentino said in Filipino.
CROSS EXAMINATION
Senate minority leader Aquilino Pimentel III said the panel investigation “cannot and should not be closed until and unless” some members of the committee get to “cross examine” Rodriguez on the testimony he gave.
“This is our right as members of the Blue Ribbon Committee and also as a matter of fairness to those he mentioned in the testimony in a very negative light,” Pimentel said.
He said the sugar importation mess investigation “is simple enough” that a partial report is not needed since the committee can make a final report after Rodriguez answers questions from senators.
He also took exception to Tolentino’s statement that he understands Rodriguez if he cannot make it to the next scheduled hearing.
He said this unacceptable.
“That decision by the chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee weakens his own committee which we should not allow,” he added.
He said Rodriguez’ presence in the investigation is important so senators can clarify the statements made by the executive secretary during the first day of the hearing.
He said they will double check the facts, ask Rodriguez his interpretation of his memo issued to former agriculture undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian and ask follow-up questions depending on the answers given.
During last Tuesday’s hearing, Sebastian and former SRA administrator Hermenegildo Serafica said Marcos did not object to the sugar importation when officials held a meeting in Malacañang on the matter last August 1.
Rodriguez, who was in the meeting, also did not object to the importation program, Sebastian said adding he personally informed the President that the SRA board approved the importation order.
Malacañang earlier said it learned of SO4 through the SRA website.
Deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros said the committee should compel Rodriguez to attend the next hearing.
It can be recalled that Hontiveros moved to recall Rodriguez after he immediately left after explaining his role in stopping SO4, leaving the senators no chance to ask him questions.
She said Rodriguez should not be exempted from attending the hearing because there were other ranking government officials who attended past Senate hearings, including former Vice President Jejomar Binay, and former Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa.
“Why would ES Rodriguez be an exemption? Wala pang 100 days, may excuse letter agad? Attendance na lang, hindi pa magawa. Takot ba sa recitation? (Rodriguez is barely 100 days in his position, but already has an excuse letter? All he needs to do is attend the hearing which he cannot do. Is he afraid of recitation?),” Hontiveros said.
