CLOSING STATEMENT OF SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS DURING THE BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE HEARING ON SUGAR FIASCO
August 30, 2022

In my last few seconds, just for the record Mr. Chair, would just like to manifest that what is clear is to me so far is that many things are not clear. And it also seems that many powerful forces are at play. Bakit po may discrepancy sa issue ng paano nalaman ng Executive Secretary ang SO4, maliit na bagay sasabihin ninyo yung discrepancy sa issue kung paano nalaman ni ES, pero it shows lack of candor which hearings like these expect.

What is the ES hiding? What information doesn't he want the public to know? Also why all these raids or visits on bodegas tapos malalaman in the end the import permits are in order and the mission is terminated.

*Who is feeding the President or Malacanan wrong information? Is the Executive Secretary feeding the President wrong information? Is the president caught in the crosshairs of opposing camps? Hindi kaya usapin lang ito ng nag-aaway na mga kampo, Mr Chair?*

With some groups wanting to change the leadership of SRA or limit the number of importers to a select few? *Hindi ba trabaho ng ES na protektahan ang Pangulo? Hindi ba dapat gatekeepers sila of these competing interests so that the President make policy decisions unfettered by political considerations* Kaya kailangan po talagang makarating si ES sa ating pagdinig, Mr. Chair. Salamat po, Mr. Chair.