Agri official probed as banana exporters complain of extortion

DAVAO CITY—Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol has ordered the relief of a Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) quarantine officer at Sasa Port here for allegedly demanding grease money from banana exporters.

Piñol said he received complaints from small exporters that Andres Alemania and his men demand cash for every transaction.

He said he immediately directed Vivencio Mamaril, BPI acting director, to relieve Alemania.

“[Today] I will issue another directive to Director Mamaril to relieve the whole BPI Quarantine Service staff in Sasa Port, down to the janitor, and replace them with a fresh group of quarantine officers,” Piñol said in a statement.

Piñol, however, assured that due process would be observed, including a deeper investigation to validate the allegations.

He said graft investigators from a new unit he organized at the Department of Agriculture would look into the accusations hurled by about 200 exporters of Cavendish banana.

Lifestyle checks

A WORKER prepares freshly harvested bananas for packaging in an export company in Tagum City in Davao del Norte province. INQUIRER PHOTO

“The going rate, according to sources I talked with, is P8,000 per container or P40,000 per exporter per transaction,” Piñol said.

He said the scheme might be extensive and the government’s response will include lifestyle checks and an official investigation from the Office of the Ombudsman.

“Considering that there are over 200 exporters, not to mention the huge players like Dole Philippines, Sumifru, Tadeco, Uni-Frutti and others, I can just imagine how much these people, granting that the charges are true, have been raking in all these years,” Piñol said.

He said this will serve as an example to all erring government employees.

“President Duterte’s vow to rid government of corrupt officials is not just cheap talk. It will be done. Learn, adapt, adjust or get fired,” Piñol said. Karlos Manlupig, Inquirer Mindanao