Sebastian authorized to act on sugar import

MALACANANG “authorized” resigned Agriculture Undersecretary for Operations Leocadio Sebastian to “sign contracts, memoranda of agreement,” among others, “necessary to effectively carry out objectives, plans and projects” of the Department of Agriculture (DA), which included the controversial decision to import sugar amid a looming shortage.

The authorization is contained in a memorandum dated July 15, 2022 issued by Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez, a copy of which was obtained by The Manila Times on Saturday.

The memorandum, its legitimacy confirmed by a Palace source who was not authorized to speak to media, surfaced a day after Sebastian resigned and took full responsibility for the “unauthorized” meeting with the Sugar Regulatory Board

(SRB) and subsequent issuance of Administrative Order 4 that called for the importation of 300,000 metric tons (MT) of sugar to stem a possible shortage.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Press Secretary Rose Beatrice “Trixie” Cruz-Angeles said on Saturday, will spare no one in his administration’s investigation that “will go as far as it needs to go.”

Marcos, who heads the Sugar Regulatory Administration’s (SRA) board as the concurrent Agriculture secretary, wanted the investigation to proceed without his “interference.”

“Tutuloy po ‘yun. Iyan po talaga naman ang ating palakad. Hindi po natin ipapaubaya iyan. Hindi puwedeng pabayaan ‘yun (The probe will continue. That’s really our way. We will not let that go. That can’t be neglected). So, it will go as far as it needs to go,” Cruz-Angeles said during an interview with state-run Radyo Pilipinas.

“The President is objective. He’s leaving the investigation to be conducted without his interference. Kailangan fair (The investigation has to be fair). So, he will attend to other matters habang ginagawa po niya (while the investigation is ongoing),” she added.

Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs Richard Palpal-Latoc has been tasked to head the investigation.

In a press conference late Friday, Cruz-Angeles announced the resignation of Sebastian although it is unclear whether Marcos has accepted it.

‘Authorized’

Despite Malacanang’s assertion that the SRB meeting and resolution were “illegal” the July 15, 2022 memorandum issued by Rodriguez “authorized” Sebastian “as Undersecretary for Operations of the Department of Agriculture (DA)” to “sign contracts, memoranda of agreement, administrative issuances, instruments and administrative and financial documents necessary to carry out department objectives, functions, plans, programs and projects, for the efficient and effective operations of the DA.”

He was also given the power to “sit as ex-officio Chairman or Member of all duly constituted committees, councils, boards and bodies where the Secretary of the DA is a member, or designate other DA officials to the same.”

On top of these, Sebastian was authorized by Rodriguez to act “as the designated Head of the Procuring Entity, and reconstitute the Bids and Awards Committee,” as well as “appoint, reassign and/or designate officials and employees of the Department, except those whose appointments are vested by the President.”

The memorandum was “effective immediately, until a replacement is appointed or until otherwise directed” by the executive secretary’s office.

All of Sebastian’s actions “shall be considered valid, unless subsequently disapproved or reprobated by the President,” the order added.

When sought for comment on the memo, Cruz-Angeles claimed that Rodriguez had designated Sebastian as one of Agriculture officials who may sign any document on behalf of the executive secretary and the President.

She said there was a “misunderstanding” of Rodriguez’s order for the creation of an “importation plan.”

“Importation plan gives us information. Hindi iyan order (That’s not an order)... That’s a misunderstanding of the plan. After the plan, that is the only time na magkakaroon po ng (when you are allowed to issue a) resolution. Kaya naging mahalaga ‘yung (That’s why it is important to know) whether or not there is an importation plan,” Cruz-Angeles said.

“Until makita mo ‘yung (you see the) importation plan, there is no order to import. At kailangan pagaralan (You have to study first). Ito ‘yung sinasabi natin na ang Presidente (This is what we are saying that the President), he wants to do things systematically,” she added.

Cruz-Angeles insisted that Marcos had only authorized Rodriguez to order the crafting of an importation plan and noted that it was the executive secretary who informed Marcos about the issuance of the resolution.

“He had nothing to do with this. Wala pong kinalaman si ES sa importation resolution ng Sugar Regulatory Board. Hindi po siya ang nag-utos nang nag-convene nito (The executive secretary is not involved in the issuance of importation resolution by the Sugar Regulatory Board. He did not make an order to convene the meeting),” Cruz-Angeles said during the Facebook Live video on Friday night.

Block sugar import

Meanwhile, Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. President Danilo Fausto called on the President to block the sugar import and supported a call to inspect warehouses for possible hoarding.

In a radio interview on Saturday, Fausto said the planned importation was timed when the local sugar producers are starting to harvest.

“In every agricultural product, you should not import during harvest season. The President was correct not to allow the entry of 300,000 metric tons of sugar. The milling season has started. You will kill the local industry. At least 700,000 farmers are employed in the sugar industry. This does not include the 5 million to 6 million indirectly employed,” Fausto said.

Fausto said that it was only in May 2022 when the SRA allowed the importation of 200,000 metric tons of sugar.

“At least 86 percent to 90 percent of the sugar import already arrived and this is enough as the harvest started early. The local supply will now be augmented,” he added.

He said the combined daily operation of the sugar millers is at 8,000 tons per day.