Hontiveros questions continued absence of Rodriguez in Senate sugar mess probe
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Risa Hontiveros said Thursday that the continued absence of Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez from the Senate Blue Ribbon panel’s investigation into the attempt to bring in sugar into the country raises more questions and doubts about his role in the botched importation plan.
“As long as ES does not face us, doubts continue to arise. Dodging does not answer any questions,” Hontiveros said in Filipino in a statement.
After the Senate’s first hearing on the sugar mess, Hontiveros moved to invite Rodrigurez back as she still wanted to ask him more questions, including on whether he knew about the draft of Sugar Order No. 4 or the controversial order to import 300,000 metric tons of sugar into the country ultimately declared illegal by Malacañang for supposedly not being approved by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who also heads the agriculture department.
But Rodriguez no longer appeared during the second hearing, with Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles saying that a Cabinet meeting was scheduled at the same time as the Senate probe.
“Why would ES Rodriguez be an exemption? It hasn’t even been 100 days, there’s already an excuse letter? He just needs to attend and yet he can’t do it. Is he afraid of recitation?” Hontiveros said.
“The Executive Secretary should present himself before the Blue Ribbon,” she added. “I hope we get a chance to carry out our mandate because our agriculture industry and the Filipino people are awaiting an explanation.”
Hontiveros said she hopes that the Blue Ribbon panel no longer has to resort to issuing a subpoena just for Rodriguez to show up.
Just after one hearing, Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri said he does not believe that Rodriguez is involved in the sugar importation attempt.
Former Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian, who resigned due to the fallout of the sugar mess, had repeatedly referenced a memo from Rodriguez as the basis for why he believed he had the power to sign documents for Marcos, including SO No. 4.
But Rodriguez said Sebastian had only assumed that he had the power to sign issuances on behalf of the president, to which the former agriculture official responded that he texted the executive secretary whom he claimed never replied.
Even here, Zubiri said Rodriguez is faultless as he argued that the executive secretary did not have the expertise to answer Sebastian’s query. — Xave Gregorio
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