House to proceed with sugar importation mess probe despite execs' resignation

The House good government and public accountability panel's inquiry on the revoked Sugar Order No. 4 allowing importation of 300,000 metric tons of sugar has been moved next week.

Representative Florida Robes of San Jose del Monte Bulacan, chairperson of the House good government and public accountability panel, said that the probe to be jointly conducted with the House Agriculture and Food panel has been set on Monday, August 23, pending committee on rules' release on guidelines in conducting motu propio investigation.

"We are still waiting for the committee on rules' expected publication of Committee rules this week for the House panel's planned motu propio  investigation," Robes' office said in a statement.

In a briefing on Monday, resigned Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian of the Department of Agriculture said that he signed SO No.4 due to dwindling sugar supply.

Sebastian has since left his post as SRA chief after it came to light that he signed the importation order without President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Jr.'s authority.

Sebastian's resignation was followed by the departure of board member and lawyer Roland Beltran as well as administrator Hermenegildo Serafica.

Robes, however, said such resignations will not get in the way of the House inquiry.

"Ang pagpapatuloy ng briefing ay sa kabila ng pagbibitiw nila SRA (Sugar Regulatory Administration) administrator Hermenegildo Serafica at board member Atty. Roland Beltran dahil gusto natin kunin ang kanilang panig sa naturang usapin," Robes said.

(We will be proceeding with the briefing even amid the resignations of Serafica and Beltran because we want to hear their side.)

"We are doing this to shed light on the challenges we are facing involving the sugar industry, increasing yield and helping our farmers out," she added.—LDF, GMA News