Panganiban: Nothing irregular about sugar importation

Senior Agriculture Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban said there was nothing irregular in the importation of 260 20-foot containers' worth of sugar from Thailand, according to Bernadette Reyes’ “24 Oras” report on Thursday.

At a media interview on Wednesday, Panganiban was asked if he could categorically confirm that the sugar importation was in order. 

“There is nothing irregular,” he said.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, however, said Panganiban could face possible administrative and criminal charges after he authorized the importation.

Hontiveros questioned the Department of Agriculture (DA)'s "handpicked" companies that imported tons of sugar into the country, saying this is how cartels are formed.

“Biruin nyo, tatlong kompanya, halos na handpicked pa, ang pinayagan na mag-angkat ng asukal para sa buong bansa. Hindi ba kaduda-duda yan? Hindi ba sa ganyan nagsisimula ang kartel? Paanong hindi mangangamoy ‘government-sponsored smuggling’ yan?” the senator said.

Based on the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) charter, only the agency has the authority to issue a sugar order for the importation of sugar.

“Once, and for all, para mapanatag naman ang mga consumers, nananawagan ako kay Presidente. Lagdaan na nila ang isang maayos na sugar order na hawig sa mga dating sugar orders na pangmaramihang importers,” Hontiveros said.

Former SRA board member and planters representative Aurelio Gerardo Valderrama said Panganiban’s action was considered “illegal.”

Valderrama was one of those who signed the controversial Sugar Order No. 4, which mandated the importation of 300,000 tons of sugar but which Malacañang said was illegal as it did not have Marcos' approval and signature as President and Agriculture secretary.

“It’s quite clear that without the sugar order, it's illegal. If you look at what has happened in the past, there was no importation that did not cover by the sugar order, and what is the use of SRA?” Valderrama said.

Panganiban said he proceeded with an immediate importation of sugar because he considered a memorandum released by the Office of the Executive Secretary a sugar order.

He said he “acted with haste” in the importation of sugar given the high inflation rates being recorded in the country.

Meanwhile, the United Sugar Producers Federation of the Philippines (UNIFED) said officials must verify first if the order was illegal.

“They should hold the shipment until everything is verified, 'yung makita na 'yung mga papeles, lahat everything is legit i-release. kung hindi e di ipasok sa kulungan,” UNIFED president Manuel Lamata said.

Companies authorized to import include All Asian Countertrade Incorporation, Edison Lee Marketing Corporation, and Sucden Philippines Incorporated.

All Asian Countertrade Incorporation and Edison Lee Marketing Corporation have declined to comment on the issue.

GMA Integrated News is still asking the side of Sucden Philippines Incorporated.

According to the data of GMA Integrated News Research, all companies are registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The SRA said the purpose of the importation is to ensure the adequate supply of sugar and to avoid its increasing prices.

Based on the latest record of the DA, the price of refined sugar cost P110 while washed brown sugar price is P95.

In a joint statement by four major sugar stakeholders’ organizations, they condemned all kinds of smuggling which affects the livelihood of thousands of farmers. — Richa Noriega/BM, GMA Integrated News