Senate probe into ‘Sugar Fiasco 2.0’ postponed; Panganiban, other execs absent

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MANILA, Philippines — The Senate inquiry into the second sugar import scandal under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was suspended Monday as Agriculture Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban and other key officials did not show up at the hearing.

Senate blue ribbon committee head Senator Francis Tolentino moved to discontinue the hearing, saying it is his prerogative as panel chair under Article 2 of the committee’s rules “due to the absence of a number of witnesses whose presence [is] vital to the inquiry.”

Among the roster of witnesses or guests for the inquiry, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin attended the hearing that opened on Monday morning. But Panganiban, former Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) head David Thaddeus Alba, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Alfredo Pascual, and National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) chief Arsenio Balisacan were absent.

“We will postpone this hearing unless some of you will voluntarily issue statements even without being asked,” Tolentino said.

READ: Familiar taste? Senate starts probe into 2nd sugar import scandal under Bongbong Marcos admin

Absence explained

Senate blue ribbon committee head Senator Francis Tolentino bangs the gavel at the opening of the hearing on alleged irregularities in the issuance of Sugar Order No. 6 on Monday, May 8, 2023. The public inquiry, however, was suspended because key witnesses or guests were absent. Joseph Vidal/Senate PRIB

Prior to his decision to suspend the hearing, Tolentino asked Bersamin about the reason why government officials who “would have given critical information and testimonies” were not able to attend.

He particularly called out the “glaring absence” of Panganiban, who is at the center of this sugar fiasco probe.

READ: Panganiban, SRA execs to face Senate ‘Sugar Fiasco 2.0’ probe

According to Bersamin, Neda chief Balisacan is in Vancouver, Canada for a scheduled trip until May 11, and DTI head Pascual is in Indonesia for a ministerial conference and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit also until May 11.

“As for Undersecretary of Agriculture Panganiban, he’s right now in Washington, DC on an official mission. All of these three would have come here if the schedule were different, but it happens that their trips coincided with our meeting today,” the Executive Secretary explained.

Tolentino later noted that Alba had submitted a letter expressing regrets for not being able to attend the hearing since he is in Australia until June “for personal reasons.”

While the legislator thanked Bersamin for his presence before the panel, he said: “Hindi namin mahahalukay iyong nilalaman nito kung wala iyong nabanggit ko. They are vital to the investigation that this committee will be undertaking. Mahihirapan siguro tayong tumuloy kung wala sila.”

(We cannot dig into this without the people I’ve mentioned. They are vital to the investigation that this committee will be undertaking. We’ll have a hard time continuing this without them.)

Tolentino asked for Bersamin’s commitment to ensure that the absent resource persons make it to the committee’s next hearing.

“I think so,” Bersamin said. “The Undersecretary of Agriculture will be in Washington until May 13. If we could schedule his appearance after that, he will be available. As for Secretary Pascual and Secretary Balisacan, I think the same is true for them. The Executive Secretary will always be at your disposal.”

Sought to help in similarly securing Alba’s presence next time, Bersamin said: “I am just presuming that his being away in Australia must have been due to health reasons because he resigned from his position due to being in dire health condition…We cannot tell when he will be due, but if his letter says he can return by June, I don’t see any reason why he will not appear here after he arrives.”

READ: Marcos accepts resignation of SRA chief Alba

Senator Risa Hontiveros, who filed Senate Resolution No. 497 seeking the investigation, said she likewise hopes that officials and representatives of the Confederation of Sugar Producers Associations, Inc. could make it to the next hearing.

This would be the second Senate blue ribbon investigation into alleged irregularities in the import procedures of the SRA under the administration of President Marcos Jr.

Marcos, in his concurrent capacity as Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, likewise leads the state-run sugar regulator.

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