DA's Laurel vows no special favors for family's companies

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said there would be no special accommodation for his family’s businesses while he helmed the Department of Agriculture (DA).

The DA chief made the commitment at a Commission on Appointments hearing when he was asked about his divestment in the companies he was affiliated with before his appointment.

“Ang bilin-bilin ng tatay ko, hindi kami pwedeng mapahiya at ‘yung mukha namin ang pinakaimportante. So, there should be no special favors for my family’s companies, no accommodation. My family will not allow that,” Laurel told the CA Committee on Agriculture.

(My father has been reminding us not to bring shame to our family and we should give utmost importance to our image. So, there should be no special favors for my family’s companies, no accommodation. My family will not allow that.)

According to Laurel, he already divested from all of their 68 companies, either through deed of sale or deed of donation.

He also resigned from all the companies he had worked with and let go of his shareholdings.

Before he was appointed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to the post, Laurel was the president of Frabelle Fishing Corporation. 

According to its website, Frabelle was established in 1966 as a small trawl fishing company before eventually shifting to purse seining small pelagic fish and then to tuna.

Laurel also held other positions in other companies, such as chairman of the Westpac Meat Processing Corporation, president of Markham Resources Corporation, and chairman of Bukidnon Hydro Energy Corporation.

Days after his appointment, Laurel allayed concerns regarding a supposed “conflict of interest” between his ties with his companies and his new government position.

He said he divested from his companies as the DA was a “full-time job.” — DVM, GMA Integrated News