The Senate Committee of the Whole looks forward to the appearance of Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar to its next hybrid hearing to dispel suspicions that he is against the interest of Filipino farmers.

The committee, chaired by Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III, had appeared exasperated by the failure of government agencies to stop smuggling, particularly of vegetables, and put behind bars at least one person in their anti-smuggling campaign during the past six years.

Following observations that the performance of the Bureau of Customs and DA in containing vegetable smuggling, particularly carrots, are below expectations, senators expressed exasperation by the failure of Dar to appear before it the past three hearings to give the side of his department.

Dar was reportedly set to go to India soon.

An association of some 135,000 Benguet farmers said the unabated inflow of smuggled vegetables, usually from China, is destroying its multi-billion-peso vegetable growing industry.

Despite admission by DA officials that they have not issued permits for the importation of carrots, carrots still flood the market to the consternation of Benguet farmers.

‘’Ngayon he (Dar) just sent word sabi pwede raw siya two weeks from now (Now, he sent word that he would be available in the next two weeks). Or the week after next. Tignan natin but then again, June is very close di ba? (Then again, June is very close right?),’’ Sotto said.

The ‘’June’’ he was referring is the June 3 sine die adjournment of the current 18th Congress.

The Senate and the House of Representatives resume on May 23 their regular session that will last for two weeks after the May 9, 2022 elections.

‘’Hanggang ngayon kawawa pa rin ang mga magsasaka natin (Our farmers continue to suffer),’’ he stressed.

Sotto said he does not see any need to pass new laws in containing smuggling operations but what is needed is implementation of existing laws.

The culprit, according to Sotto, is technical and real smuggling.

Presidential candidate Senato Panfilo M. Lacson and Sotto maintained that what is needed is for the BOC, Department of Trade and Industry and DA to digitalize their operations for fast transmission and easy tracing of information.

During a media forum days ago, Sotto said he was told by Julie Yap Daza, a Manila Bulletin columnist, that the President has already fired six cabinet members.

‘'I'm not sure kung cabinet officials ang sinabi, basta cabinet members, kung cabinet officials, secretary rank yun (what she said was ‘Cabinet members’ and if they are Cabinet officials, they are of Cabinet rank). Sabi ko baka gusto niya gawing pito (I said why won’t the President make it seven?),’’ he pointed out.

Asked if he is saying there is a need to fire Dar, Sotto replied: ‘’Kapag ganyan na ang takbo bakit hindi? (If that is the situation right now, why not?). Aanhin mo pa yun eh lahat ng stakeholders ng agrikultura sa Pilipinas, kaaway niya (All the stakeholders are his enemies). Ang kakampi lang niya mga importer (His allies are the importers). Siguro naman ay nakakarating na sa Presidente yan (The President could have heard of these).’’