Resignation not accepted yet but Agriculture exec under preventive suspension

MANILA, Philippines — Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian disclosed on Tuesday that Malacañang has not accepted his resignation yet but said he has been under preventive suspension for 90 days.

Sebastian tendered his resignation last August 11 after the alleged botched attempt to import 300,000 metric tons of sugar into the country through Sugar Order No. 4 (SO4).

But according to him, Malacañang has yet to accept his resignation.

“As of now, your honor, I’ve been informed that I’m on preventive suspension for 90 days,” he told the Senate blue ribbon committee when Senator Risa Hontiveros asked if his resignation was already accepted.

“So hindi pa tinanggap or hindi pa tinatanggap ‘yung resignation niyo (So your resignation hasn’t been accepted yet)?” Hontiveros asked again.

“That is correct your honor,” she said.

Senator Francis Tolentino, who is presiding over the hearing as chairman of the committee, asked Sebastian to furnish them with a copy of his preventive suspension.

“It’s contained in their charge sheet because they also charged me…” said the agriculture official without elaborating as Tolentino cut him off.

Senator Raffy Tulfo later pursued Hontiveros’ line of questioning.

“I submitted my resignation letter, your honor, but apparently it was not accepted,” Sebastian said, responding to Tulfo’s query.

He said his resignation was not irrevocable because “that was not in my mind at that time.”

“But it can also be like that,” Sebastian also said.

Malacanang earlier tagged SO4 as illegal since it was not authorized by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

This prompted the resignation of Sebastian, and other ranking officials of the Sugar Regulatory Administration, and a separate investigation in the Senate and the House of Representatives.

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