Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday, August 30 expressed her disappointment over Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez’s failure to appear at the continuation of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s hearing on the sugar importation mess.

Hontiveros inquired into Rodriguez’s whereabouts when she made reminded Senate blue ribbon chair Sen. Francis Tolentino about her motion to invite Rodriguez back to the Senate probe.

In response, Tolentino informed the body that the Senate blue ribbon panel has invited the to appear at the hearing, but the Executive Secretary could not attend due to a Cabinet meeting that is also held on the same time, 9 a.m., Tuesday morning.

Tolentino eventually said the committee will issue another invitation for Rodriguez to participate in the next scheduled hearing.

Hontiveros thanked Tolentino for his assurance that the Executive Secretary will be invited to the next hearing but expressed her dismay on Rodriguez’s absence.

“Just for the record, Mr. Chair, regrettable na yung cabinet meeting na dahilan kung bakit pagkatapos ng presentation nila noong unang hearing ay umalis kaagad si ES hindi na natin natanong ng ating mga tanong (it’s regrettabel that the ES mentioned the cabinet meeting as the reason why, after his presentation druing the first hearing, he immediately left and we were unable to ask him questions),” Hontiveros said.

“Ngayon, yun na ulit ang dahilan kung bakit wala sila rito (Now, he is using the same excuse to justify why he is not here). I'm really really holding on to the assurance of the Chair that he will be required to attend the next hearing. Would it be possible for Mr. Chair to invite, or was he even invited pala, Mr. Chair? I don't see him as having been invited parang wala po sa guest list?

Hontiveros, during last week’s hearing, questioned Rodriguez’s role in the issuance of the controversial Sugar Order No. 4 which supposedly authorizes the importation of 300,000 metric tons of sugar.

In his opening statement, Rodriguez admitted that it was him who asked top officials of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to draft an order for the proposed importation of 300,000 metric tons of sugar.

Rodriguez, however, faulted Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian for supposedly signing SO No. 4 arbitrarily in behalf of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., who concurrently sits as the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA), without the latter’s approval.

Malacañang has denied knowledge of the sugar importation order calling it “illegal” and has ordered an investigation on the resolution.