Minority Floor Leader and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan wants an official House inquiry on the sugar importation mess.
READ: https://mb.com.ph/2022/08/10/marcos-rejects-proposal-to-import-300000-mt-of-sugar/
Thus, he filed House Resolution (HR) 259 urging the two House committees to officially launch a joint inquiry in aid of legislation on the controversy.
The resolution is formally titled, “A Resolution Urging the House of Representatives Committee on Good Governmentand Public Accountability and the Committee on Agriculture and Food to Immediately Conduct a Joint Inquiry, in Aid of Legislation, on The Illegal Issuance by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) of Sugar Order No. 4, Series of 2021-2022 and the Bungled Attempt to Import Sugar.”
“There is a need to conduct an in-depth investigation on this botched attempt to import sugar to identify all the persons who connived with Undersecretary Sebastian for this unauthorized sugar importation order and for them to answer possible criminal charges,” Libanan wrote in HR 259, a copy of which was sent to House reporters Wednesday, Aug. 17.
READ: https://mb.com.ph/2022/08/12/usec-sebastian-resigns-amid-sugar-importation-mess/
“It is likewise imperative that the government formulate and issue a clear-cut policy on importation of agricultural products especially during harvest season, not just for sugar but also for other food and agricultural produce so as not to unnecessarily burden and prejudice small Filipino farmers and producers,” he continued.
Previously, on Monday, Aug. 15, the Committee of Good Governance and Public Accountability and Committee on Agriculture and Food–led by San Jose Del Monte City Rep. Florida Robes and Quezon 1st district Rep. Mark Enverga, respectively–held a briefing on the sugar importation controversy.
Since it wasn't a House probe in aid of legislation, the resource persons summoned were not held under oath. Libanan, during the briefing, even motioned to launch a motu proprio inquiry on the matter.
A "motu proprio" inquiry is a voluntary investigation by a House panel or panels on a particular matter. No resolution needs to be referred to the committee for this to happen.
Through a formal joint panel inquiry, persons summoned by the House can be held under oath and can have their manifestations used against them.
Meanwhile, the joint panel is scheduled to conduct another briefing on the sugar mess on Monday, Aug. 22, amid the recent resignation of three SRA executives.