EXEC SECRETARY NOT BLAMELESS: Hontiveros says Senate Minority report on sugar import row addresses "real questions" behind controversy

Senator Risa Hontiveros stressed on Tuesday that Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez is not "blameless" in the recent sugar importation fiasco, as the Senate Minority bloc released a report disagreeing with several findings of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee over the issue.

"Kami po sa minority, kami ni Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, ay gumawa ng hiwalay na report ukol dito sa tinawag nating sugar fiasco dahil hindi kami sang-ayon sa report na ipinasa ng Senate Majority bloc. With all due respect, their version of the report failed to answer the real questions that will help address the sugar fiasco," Hontiveros said.

The Senate Minority Bloc report raised the "silence" of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on the accountability of Rodriguez: "It was unfortunate that the Blue Ribbon report had failed or purposely refrained to discuss the part played by Executive Secretary Rodriguez in this unfortunate debacle."

"It was clear to us early on that all communications related to the issuance of S.O. No. 4 were timely and clearly communicated to the Executive Secretary. However, the Executive Secretary's unilateral decision to sit on it contributed to the debacle," Hontiveros said.

Hontiveros added that the recommendation to file criminal and administrative charges against suspended Agriculture Usec. Leocadio Sebastian, former Sugar Regulatory Administration chief Hermegenildo Serafica, and former Sugar Board members Roland Beltran and Aurelio Gerardo Valderrama Jr. seemed to be "disproportionately punitive".

"Walang basehan at hindi makatarungan kung kakasuhan pa sila. Hindi dapat pinagdidiskitahan ng administrasyon ang mga empleyado ng gobyerno na ginagawa lang naman ang trabaho nila," she said.

Hontiveros said that amidst this fiasco, consumers and workers in the sugar industry should not be caught in the cross-fire. She added that their welfare should always be the paramount priority.

"Napilitan nang isuspinde ang ilang planta ng malalaking kompanya to the point na naka-forced leave without pay ang mga manggagawa. Maging ang maliliit na bakeries, turon, at palamig vendors, ay umaaray. The sugar shortage has very dangerous and real consequences for Filipino workers and Filipino consumers. It has to be addressed as soon as possible," she concluded.