MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday criticized the reassignment of a senior agriculture official who had been implicated in alleged corruption in the importation of meat that opened the floodgates for the spread of African swine fever (ASF) into the country.
Lacson said Ronnie Domingo, former head of the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), was transferred to the Philippine Carabao Center in January despite having issued permits to import pork from countries afflicted with ASF.
“Considering such violations involving Domingo, shall we allow the practice that when one who is implicated in a controversy, he would merely be transferred to another agency? What is clear is that the former BAI director was involved in violations until September 2020,” he said.
“While I cannot say at this time if Domingo’s transfer is connected to the issuance of illegal permits, the impact [of his decisions] is that we have an ASF problem due to the importation of pork from banned countries,” the senator said.
Lacson made the statement as he defended Senate Resolution No. 685, which sets a committee of the whole investigation by the Senate of a racket by an alleged syndicate in the Department of Agriculture (DA) that he said had been collecting a P5 to P7 “tongpats” or kickback for every kilo of imported pork.
But in a phone interview with the Inquirer, Domingo denied granting any import permits for pork from countries affected by ASF.
‘Floated just now’
“I don’t know what Senator Lacson is talking about. These allegations floated just now. I have no knowledge,” he said.
He said that part of BAI’s mandate was to forbid the entry of pork and pork products from countries with animal diseases that could endanger local agricultural industries.
“These are documented orders that need to be followed,” he said.
He said his reassignment to the Philippine Carabao Center was part of streamlining efforts to allow a “continuous, more efficient, and effective public service” in accordance with instructions from Agriculture Secretary William Dar.
“He told us that the reassignments were to empower livestock officials because when you are reassigned, there is pressure for you to do your best in your new assignment,” said Domingo.
Domingo was appointed officer in charge at BAI in 2017. After two years, he said he submitted his courtesy resignation when Dar took over as agriculture chief.
“After 70 days he called me and installed me again as the OIC. I was also endorsed by the secretary to Malacañang,” he said.
‘Merciless, insatiable’
Lacson earlier said members of the syndicate could rake in P6 billion yearly once a recommendation to increase the minimum access volume (MAV) is increased while the country was still grappling with both the COVID-19 pandemic and ASF.
“They are merciless. That’s what really disgusting. They are insatiable,” he said.
Lacson said it was the syndicate that had been pushing for the lowering of tariff rates on imported meat and the proposed increase in the MAV for imported pork, from 54,000 metric tons to 404,000 MT.
Under the proposals, the DA recommended that under the MAV, a 5 percent tariff be imposed on pork imports for the next six months and 10 percent for the succeeding six months from the current rate of 30 percent.
For imports outside the MAV, the DA suggested that tariffs be reduced to 15 percent for the next six months and 20 percent in the succeeding six months from the current 40 percent.
The proposals were submitted to Malacañang in late January for the President’s approval. “Our hog raisers are calling for help, about 80,000 of them.
The local hog-raising industry is worth P230 billion a year. It will die if the local market is flooded with imported pork and pork products — and worse, imported from countries with existing ban due to ASF,” he said.
Probe panel formed In response to Lacson’s allegations, Dar on Wednesday formed a special committee to look into the matter, although an industry group was skeptical that it would yield unbiased results.
He said he gave the committee until the end of the month to submit the results of its investigation.
He also said that he could vouch for the honesty and integrity of those involved in the probe, which is headed by the DA’s legal service chief Armando Crobalde Jr. Dar said that while the DA maintained that the MAV allocations were “above-board and nondiscretionary,” it would still look into reports of a payoff scheme involving officials.
An initial report prepared by DA-MAV Secretariat head Jane Bacayo described Lacson’s allegation as “remote,” noting that those who were awarded MAV import certificates “are the same ones every year, and who were previously accredited by the past DA administrations.”
Bacayo added that there had been no disparities between the current MAV allocations and those given before Dar’s term.
Reservations
But the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (Sinag) expressed reservations about the possible outcome of DA’s investigation.
Sinag chief Rosendo So told the Inquirer that an impartial probe under the DA was unlikely because those involved in the investigation may also be the same people behind the alleged scheme.
Sinag and other groups have pushed both chambers of Congress to investigate the racket.
The Senate had passed a resolution urging the President to reject the DA recommendation, warning that flooding the country with imported pork would “kill” the local hog industry.
According to Lacson, the DA can help local hog raisers by providing an indemnification fund and similar aid, instead of importing large volumes of pork.
Citing information from undisclosed sources, Lacson said that violations on meat importation continued on Domingo’s watch as the BAI and the National Meat Inspection Service controlled decisions in the MAV management committee of the DA.
He said he had been informed that there had been lobbying to expand the MAV and questioned the DA’s recommendation to increase imports to the detriment of local hog raisers.
“Without casting doubt on DA Secretary William Dar’s personal integrity, we want to know if he was aware of the situation,” he said.