Department of Agriculture (DA) Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian has assured that the recent memorandum on the use of biofertilizers was issued to prevent a repeat of the 2004 fertilizer fund scam.
The P728-million fertilizer fund scam allegedly involved diverting agricultural funds to political allies of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for re-election purposes.
Senator Risa Hontiveros has expressed alarm at the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee report that recommended the filing of charges against suspended Agriculture Usec. Leocadio Sebastian and three former executives of the sugar board in connection with the controversial sugar import order.
MANILA – The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee has recommended the filing of criminal and administrative charges against suspended Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian and three former executives of the Sugar Regulatory Authority (SRA) in connection with the sugar importation fiasco.
Senator Alan Peter Cayetano said the mere fact that suspended Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian did sign for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the controversial Sugar Order No. 4 is “more than enough grounds to fire him.”
Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez said suspended Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian didn’t tender his resignation amid his role in the supposed irregularities in the issuance of controversial Sugar Order No. 4.
The leadership of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee is supporting calls from its members for Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez to answer the pending queries in connection with the sugar importation fiasco.
Suspended Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian and resigned Sugar Regulatory Administation (SRA) Administrator Hermenegildo Serafica both claimed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has no objection to the propsed importation of 300,000 metric tons of raw and refined sugar.
Leocadio Sebastian remains an undersecretary in the Department of Agriculture despite resigning earlier due to the anomalous sugar importation fiasco.
Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez has practically thrown former Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian under the bus as he lambasted the “unfair and dishonorable” way that Sebastian signed the order to import 300,000 metric tons of sugar.
