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'Capable' agri chief: Sen. Grace Poe expresses her support for the appointment of Agriculture Sec. Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. during the hearing of the Commission on Appointments (CA) Tuesday, December 5, 2023. Poe said she believes that Laurel, coming from the agriculture sector himself, would know how to address the problems besetting the industry. During the CA meeting on Laurel's ad interim appointment, the senator urged the Department of the Agriculture chief to work on the prosecution and build up stronger evidence against smugglers of agricultural products to deter the crime. "If you are determined to really make the situation better, I know that you have the capability to do that," Poe said of Laurel. (Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate Social Media Unit)