Blue Ribbon to decide if Rodriguez will be required to attend sugar fiasco hearings — Tolentino

Senate blue ribbon committee will decide whether they will compel Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez to attend the succeeding hearings on the sugar 'fiasco' or not, panel chairman Francis Tolentino said Monday.

"His non-appearance tomorrow will have to be dealt with by the committee," Tolentino said in an interview on CNN Philippines.

"So we'll decide that collegially if he is going to be required to be in the succeeding hearings or if there's gonna be a move or what, within the bounds of the rules coming from the committee members," he added.

Aside from clarifying some issues, Tolentino said it is important for Rodriguez to attend the Senate investigation as this will show respect to a co-equal branch of the government.

"It is important because it will clarify some matters and it is relevant to the testimony of (Agriculture) Usec. (Leocadio) Sebastian and other members of the Sugar Board," he said.

"Most importantly, it is important because it would show a sign of respect to a co-equal branch of government," he added. "So it's vital to showcase a vibrant and healthy system of democracy."

Tolentino went on saying Rodriguez should attend the hearings because he is a lawyer.

"He should attend. As a lawyer, he should explain."

GMA News Online reached out to Rodriguez for comment but has yet to receive a response as of posting time.

Last week, Tolentino disclosed that Rodriguez had informed him through a letter that he would skip the panel's succeeding hearings again due to a conflict with his schedule.

Rodriguez explained that he would focus on the preparations for the overseas trips of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in Indonesia and Singapore this week, as well as the US later this month.

The official, in his letter, also said he had already answered the senators’ questions on the alleged unauthorized issuance of Sugar Order 4, which would have allowed the importation of 300,000 metric tons of sugar into the country.

Rodriguez added that the resolution was only drafted and never materialized and that he is one with the Senate in addressing corruption.

Although he is “open” to other senators inviting Rodriguez to another hearing, Tolentino earlier said he is looking at issuing a partial report based on the findings from the hearings the committee conducted.

But Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III said the Senate blue ribbon committee probe on the sugar "fiasco" should not be terminated until Rodriguez faces the panel for cross examination.

Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros also questioned Rodriguez's absence in the hearings and mentioned a possible subpoena to require the Palace official's presence in the Senate investigation.

Rodriguez attended the first hearing but skipped the last probe due to a Cabinet meeting.

In his opening statement during the first hearing, Rodriguez said they only learned during a meeting that the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) had passed a resolution, through Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian, approving SO 4 without submitting the import plan and without the knowledge of Marcos, who, as the concurrent secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA), also sits as the chairman of the Sugar Board.

He also said he confronted Sebastian over the matter.

During the second hearing, resigned SRA chief Hermenegildo Serafica said Marcos and Rodriguez did not raise any objection to the proposal to import sugar when the SRA raised the idea.

Sugar is in the spotlight following the controversial issuance of SO 4 which was later deemed “illegal” as it was signed without the knowledge and expressed approval of Marcos.—AOL, GMA News