Hontiveros questions entry of imported sugar from Thailand | ABS-CBN

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Hontiveros questions entry of imported sugar from Thailand

Hontiveros questions entry of imported sugar from Thailand

Sherrie Ann Torres,

ABS-CBN News

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MANILA — Did Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin give some sort of an authority to import sugar?

Sen. Risa Hontiveros dropped this question Tuesday as she uncovered supposedly questionable entry of imported sugar from Thailand ahead of the publication of Sugar Order Number Order 6.

SO-6 authorizes the importation of 440,000 metric tons of sugar to ensure its steady supply and lower price in the market.

Agriculture Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban; acting Sugar Regulatory Authority (SRA) Administrator David John Thaddeus Alba; acting Board Member Ma. Mitzi Mangwag and another acting Board Member Pablo Luis Azcona signed SRO-6.

However, documents obtained by Hontiveros raised questions about the legality of the undertaking.

SO-6 was only published by the Sugar Regulatory Administration through the UP Law Center last February 15.

The undertaking will take effect three days after its publication or February 18.

Accepting of bidders or supplier-applicants will only be accepted after five days, or on February 18, to be followed by the acceptance of bid from February 19 to 23.

Awarding of contract will happen between February 24 to 28, the senator said.

The earliest date for ordering of imported sugar should be March 1, she said.

“My information, coming from producer organizations and corroborated by independent sources, is that on February 9, a shipment of sugar in 260 20-foot containers arrived in the port of Batangas. Ang importer na ito diumano ay All Asian Countertrade, Inc.,” Hontiveros told reporters.

“That a shipment arrived on February 9 appears to be confirmed by this letter to the Bureau of Customs from the Department of Agriculture dated February 14, 2023, flagging shipments of sugar by All Asian Countertrade Inc., aboard 3 vessel and using 3 shippers,” she added.

“Kung pagbabatayan natin itong draft undated memorandum order na ito three importers were already identified to be given allocations, ahead of the Sugar Order. Ito ay ang All Asian Countertrade, Sucden Philippines Inc. at Edison Lee Marketing Corporation,” Hontiveros said.

One of the three named suppliers had been linked to a sugar importation issue during the Arroyo administration.

A copy of the letter obtained by Hontiveros stated that Panganiban allegedly gave All Asian Countertrade a total of 240,000 metric tons of sugar allocation.

“And this is, take note, per instruction of Executive Secretary Bersamin. Ano ang petsa ng sulat? January 13, 2023. Totoo ba ito? Can we check the bar code of this? Kasi umiikot na ito sa mga viber groups,” Hontiveros pointed out.

A copy of the January 13, 2023 letter presented by Hontiveros to journalists stated the message: “Sir: Per instruction from Executive Secretary Lucas P Bersamin, on January 13, 2023, you are hereby authorized to import Two hundred forty thousand Metric Tons (240,000MT) of sugar which will be automatically classified as “C” or Reserved Sugar.”

“As such, this shall not be made available in the domestic market unless reclassified by the Sugar Regulatory Authority subject to compliance with Republic Act no. 10659 series of 2015 otherwise known as the Sugarcane Industry Development Act of 2015, and its Implementing Rules and Regulations, And other relevant Laws, rules and regulations.”

The said letter was addressed to Michael L. Escaler, Chief Executive Officer of All Asian Countertrade and was signed by Panganiban who was also identified in the communique as Senior Undersecretary of DA and ex-officio Chairperson of the SRA.

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“Sinasabi dito that the Executive Secretary, more than a month ago, provided some sort of authority to import, that the SRA has not. Totoo kaya itong liham na ito na pirmado ni Senior Usec Panganiban? Sana ay hindi ito totoo. If it were genuine, marami ang kailangang linawin ng pinakamatataas na opisyal sa DA at sa Malacanang na kapwa kanang-kamay ng Presidente. Ano ang legal basis ng authorty to import na ibinigay diumano ni ES Bersamin?” Hontiveros asked.

“Bakit gumawa ng ganitong liham si Usec Panganiban, samantalang alam niya na tanging SRA ang maaaring maglabas ng sugar order?” she added.

According to Hontiveros, a portion of the entered imported sugar was already released to the local market.

The senator has filed Resolution 497 seeking the Senate Blue Ribbon committee’s investigation on the issue of SO-6.

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