There is now more "clarity" in the agricultural hoarding issue that's being investigated by the House of Representatives.
This, after the House Committee on Agriculture and Food chaired by Quezon 1st district Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga held a three-hour executive session with the invited resource persons amid its second public hearing Tuesday, Feb. 14 on the hoarding issue.
Although the executive session portion of the hearing was closed to the media, Enverga confirmed to House reporters afterward that the panel managed to get names of "personalities" that they could invite for succeeding hearing.
"Well maganda no, maituturing kong very truthful din itong naging pangalawang hearing namin dito dahil nga nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na mayroon nang mga naisiwalat ano, na mga detalye (It was good, I can say that this second hearing was very truthful since they was an opportunity for details to get revealed)," Enverga said, obviously referring to the executive session.
"So confidential muna in nature ano. Tsaka pa namin yun didinigin kasama nung mga miyembro kung paano namin iha-handle yung mga impormasyon na nakuha namin kanina (So the nature is confidential for now. We will deliberate among us members on how to handle the information that we received earlier)," he said.
"Pero again, ,maganda naman yung aming estado ngayon, mas may konting linaw na na nakukuha tayo sa impormasyon na mayroon tayong nakuha (But again, we're in a good state right now, there is now a bit more clarity because of the information we received)," noted the panel chairman.
Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan moved for an executive session in the middle of the hearing in order to allow Bonena Multipurpose Cooperative Chairman Israel Reguyal to mention names of people who allegedly have a hand in the hoarding and price manipulation of onions and other agricultural products.
Controversial agri-preneur Lilia "Leah" Cruz was also believed to have contributed details to the solons during the executive session.
"Naging malinaw sa amin ano yung mga pamamaraan kung paano nangyayari. May mga ilan na possible personalities na involved so yun yung i-aassess din namin yung sa darating na panahon kung paano namin sila siguro maimbitahan, siguro, para mapagbigyan (The way that things happen became clear to us. There are some personalities involved so that's what we will assess in the coming days, how are we going we going invite them, to give them a chance)," Enverga said.
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The Quezon lawmaker stressed that all personalities that were mentioned to them would be assessed. "Syempre hindi naman lahat ng binigay na pangalan (Of course, not every name)--we have to vet everyone also.
Enverga said they will hold the next hearing on the hoarding issue next week.