Lacson questions swift transfer of ex-BAI chief supposedly involved in ASF mess

Senator Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday questioned the swift transfer to another agency within the Department of Agriculture of the former chief of the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) under whose term that pork imports from countries affected with African swine fever (ASF) were supposedly allowed to enter the Philippines.

In an interview with Dobol B TV, Lacson questioned Agriculture Secretary William Dar's move to transfer former BAI director Ronnie Domingo to the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC).

According to Lacson, it was during Domingo's leadership at the BAI when phytosanitary permits were supposedly still issued, allowing pork imports from ASF-infected countries like Belgium, Hungary, Germany, and China to come in.

This, even as then-Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol had issued several memorandum orders to not allow the entry of pork imports from these countries.

Domingo was transferred to the PCC earlier this year and was replaced by BAI OIC Director Reildrin Morales.

"Gusto nating malaman kay Sec. Dar, bakit mo tinanggal, bakit mo nilipat kasi madalian yung pagtanggal?" Lacson asked.

("We want to know from Sec. Dar, why did you remove, you did you transfer him so quickly?")

"Papayag na lang ba tayo na kapag may anomalyang kinasangkutan, ililipat lang sa ibang opisina? Hindi na natin iimbestigahan? Hindi na natin papanagutin?" he added.

("Are we supposed to only accept that when someone is involved in an anomaly, he will just be transferred to another office? Won't we call for an investigation? Won't we make him accountable?")

Although he does not want to make assumptions on why Domingo was transferred to the PCC, Lacson said the former BAI director clearly committed violations.

"Maliwanag na may mga violation na ginawa yung dating direktor ng BAI kasi hanggang September 2020, kaya bumaha yung pork importation at nalugi yung ating mga hog raisers kasi binaha na tayo, nagkaroon pa tayo ng ASF," he added.

("It is clear that the former BAI director committed violations because up until September 2020, there was a barrage of pork importation in the country and many local hog raisers were affected, and then we have an ASF problem.")

Reforms

In a separate Dobol B TV, Dar said his reason for doing reshuffles within the DA is to make reforms in the department.

"Nag-rigodon ako ng opisyales dito sa livestock sector. So meron ng bagong direktor ang BAI, at siya yung kasama ko na nag-iimprove ng mga sistema dito sa livestock," he said.

("I did a reshuffle of officials in the livestock sector. There is a new director of the BAI, and he is part of the measures to improve the systems in the livestock sector.")

"Gusto ko nga na mareporma ang DA. So we have been trying our best to really put in place a better bureaucracy," he added.

("I want to make reforms in the DA. So we have been trying our best to really put in place a better bureaucracy.")

Lacson earlier revealed that there have been reports of unscrupulous individuals imposing "tongpats" or padded costs amounting to P5 to P7 per kilo of imported pork.

He said padded costs may significantly increase if the tariffs on pork imports are reduced and its minimum access volume allocation is increased.

Dar has already ordered an investigation into the allegations of Lacson. — RSJ, GMA News