De Lima: NBI doesn’t have solid evidence yet vs Alcala

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Thursday the National Bureau of Investigation had so far no solid evidence against Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala (inset). INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Agriculture officials on Thursday closed ranks in support of Secretary Proceso J. Alcala, who denied “any involvement in any illegal act,” as a senator called for his suspension while investigators looked into allegations linking him to a cash-for-permit-to-import-garlic racket.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said the National Bureau of Investigation had so far no solid evidence against Alcala.

“There is still insufficient evidence gathered by the NBI with respect to Secretary Alcala,” De Lima said in a text message to reporters when asked why Alcala was not among those recommended to be charged.

The NBI on Wednesday charged 127 people, including former and current officials of the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) as well as traders in the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice with direct bribery, profiteering, garlic price manipulation, falsification and obstruction of justice.

The DA “considers the investigation and the process as an opportunity to finally address the problem and to fully implement the reforms that we have introduced to protect the local garlic industry against unfair trade practices,” Agriculture Undersecretary Emerson U. Palad said in a press briefing.

Palad, the DA spokesman, said that with charges being filed in the Office of the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice against those believed to be involved in a garlic cartel, an opportunity was provided for the accused BPI officials and others accused to face the charges.

In a sworn statement, garlic importer and whistle-blower Lilybeth Valenzuela said that former BPI Director Clarito Barron had told her and other importers that they must have connections to Alcala in order to get a permit.

“That is her opinion and she must prove it,” Alcala said. “In due time, it would be my turn to [go to court] and I will do so because I cannot ignore accusations that ruin my reputation.”

Alcala denied having exerted any influence to favor business interests in the issuance of quarantine clearances, which serve as a requirement for the importation of garlic.

“I am very sure that I have not done any irregularity nor will I ever do anything like that,” said the agriculture secretary.

An NBI report showed that at least P200 million was paid to officials of the BPI, an agency under the supervision of the Department of Agriculture (DA), in exchange for permits to import garlic over the past five years.

Most of the permits went to one group accused of manipulating the supply to increase garlic prices.

The NBI probe stemmed from a price spike in mid-2014 that saw the price of a kilo of garlic skyrocketing to as high as P300 a kilo. Prices are currently within the range of P80 to P100 a kilo, according to DA monitoring.

Not in NBI report

“Nowhere in the NBI report says that the Secretary is being accused of benefiting monetarily [from garlic importation],” Palad said.

BPI Director Paz Benavidez II said that the approval of the quarantine clearances rested with the bureau.

“The BPI director is the final authority,” Benavidez said. “The decision does not go up to the Secretary’s office.”

She added that she was not aware of any cartel thriving under the BPI system.

Barron, the BPI chief when the price spike occurred, was transferred in July 2014 to the DA’s field operations office after agribusiness groups called for his resignation.

Palad, who heads that office, said there was then no reason to sack Barron at that time since he was not facing any formal case.

“Whatever happens from now, in relation to Barron, should be in compliance with rules since he is also protected by law,” he said.

At the Kapihan sa Senado forum, Sen. Sergio Osmeña III said Alcala “should be suspended at least while the investigations are going on.”

He said the matter may be left to the Office of the Ombudsman.

Not first time

Like Osmeña, Sen. Francis Escudero said Alcala should face a thorough investigation. “These are very serious allegations that must be investigated to the fullest,” Escudero said in a text message to reporters.

“This is not the first time that allegations of corruption have been hurled against Secretary Alcala… either someone is really out to destroy or get him or, as the saying goes, where there is smoke there is fire,” he added.

A DA source told the Inquirer that Alcala has also harbored Agriculture Undersecretary Antonio Fleta despite documentary evidence that he released millions of funds from the agency to bogus foundations, including nongovernment organizations owned by accused plunderer Janet Lim-Napoles.

Osmeña, though, did not appear optimistic that Alcala would be suspended while being investigated for his alleged role in the racket.

The President has a penchant for protecting his buddies or the “KKK,” which stands for kakampi, kaklase, kabarilan (allies, classmates and shooting buddies), he said.

Permits not sanctioned

Osmeña suspected that irregularities involving import permits had been taking place for a long time, and believed these took place with the blessings of the agriculture secretary because he was running the show.

According to the senator, he had been opposed to the idea of import permits because he thinks these are not sanctioned by law.

Osmeña said Congress passed the law imposing tariffs on agriculture products in 1997 in consonance with the country’s World Trade Organization commitments, thereby doing away with the absolute ban on their importation.

He later learned that some imports, such as onions, could not enter the country without an import permit. He asked why there was a need to get these permits and was told that the agricultural products had to comply with measures to control plant diseases, especially in agricultural crops.

“That’s the reason they use—that we have to check the onions and garlic and that’s where I saw the irregularities start,” he told reporters.–With a report from Gil C. Cabacungan and Jerome C. Aning

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