Even without a referral from the Senate leadership, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee can investigate the questionable resolution of the Sugar Regulatory Board authorizing the importation of 300,000 metric tons (MT) of sugar which Malacañang declared as ‘’illegal".

‘’That’s how powerful the Blue Ribbon committee is,’’ Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III said during a DZRH radio interview on the unauthorized signing of an order allowing the importation of additional sugar supply.

A probable Senate probe on the issue is the judgment call of Senator Francis Tolentino who is the committee chairman, Pimentel said.

Pimentel, a former Senate President, is of the opinion that the executive branch investigate should conduct its own probe ‘’to get to the bottom of this".

He said he might file a resolution seeking a Senate probe if there is no Malacañang investigation.

Malacañang stated that President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. did not even convene a meeting to authorize such move amid the lack of supply and surging prices of sugar.

President Marcos, who is the board chairman, sets the date of any meeting or the convening of the board and its agenda but no such meeting was authorized by him, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles stated.

Pimentel, a veteran lawmaker, strongly suggested that stocks of agricultural produce must first be ‘’entirely consumed’’ before any importation is to be made.

That strategy should be adopted by the national government to protect the interest of local farmers, he added.

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