Senators: Too early to say Rodriguez cleared of liability in sugar import mess

Senators on Monday said it is too early to clear Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez of any liability over the drafting of Sugar Order No. 4, which would have allowed the importation of 300,000 metric tons of sugar.

“It’s too early to clear people when we haven’t really finished the investigation,” Senator JV Ejercito said in a message to reporters when asked if Rodriguez is already cleared of liability.

Ejercito said he has yet to ask questions and clarifications.

Similarly, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said he still has questions he would like to ask Rodriguez.

“No one is off the hook yet. I have a few questions for [Executive Secretary] Rodriguez on his testimony,” Pimentel said in a message to reporters.

“Double check the facts. Interpretation of his memo to Usec. Sebastian & then follow up questions depending on the answers given,” he added.

For her part, Senator Risa Hontiveros asked how Rodriguez could be cleared if he was not able to answer the questions of the senators.

“I moved to recall the executive secretary and this motion was seconded by my fellow senators. How can he be cleared of any liability kung hindi man niya pinaunlakan ang tanong ng mga senador?” she said.

(I moved to recall the executive secretary and this motion was seconded by my fellow senators. How can he be cleared of any liability if he was not able to answer the questions of the senators?)

Last week, then-Agriculture undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian said he signed Sugar Order No. 4 based on the authority given to him by Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez through a memorandum.

Sebastian said that the July 15 memorandum stated "that I will sit as ex officio chairman or member of all duly constituted administration, committees, councils, boards, bodies where the Secretary of Agriculture is a member."

Speaking during the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on SO 4 last Tuesday, Rodriguez said they only learned during a meeting that the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) had passed a resolution, through Sebastian, approving the import order without submitting the import plan and without the knowledge of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

He also said he confronted Sebastian over the matter. 

According to Rodriguez, SRA administrator Hermenegildo Serafica and SRA board member Roland Beltran said they thought it was already okay as they were told so by Sebastian.

"Ang sagot n'ya po sa akin, ang naging tugon niya, 'Akala ko po kasi okay na sabi ni Usec. Leo'," Rodriguez quoted Serafica as saying.

Senators were not able to ask Rodriguez follow-up questions as he had to leave early for a Cabinet meeting.

GMA News Online has reached out to Rodriguez and Press Secretary Trixie Cruz Angeles for comment but yet to receive a reply as of posting time.

On Wednesday, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri expressed belief Rodriguez was not part of the plan to issue the controversial sugar order.

"I absolutely do not believe that he is part of this plan of coming out with an illegal order to import sugar. Why? Because he was the one who took it to the President and told the President about this particular plan that they already signed an import order without the President's approval. Siya ang nagsumbong kay Presidente," Zubiri said in an interview with reporters.

He added that Rodriguez was even the one who is leading the raids in warehouses where the hoarded sugar were allegedly kept.—AOL, GMA News