Is SRA merely the Palace's rubber stamp? Risa wonders
Published Mar 25, 2023 07:32 am
Circumstances seem to suggest that the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) is only being used as a rubber stamp to legitimize the alleged preferential treatment being given by Malacañang to certain importers.
This was the contention of Senator Risa Hontiveros after putting in question the resignation of SRA Administrator David John Thaddeus Alba.
‘’If the resignation is due to his failing health, then I wish him a speedy recovery,’ she said.
‘’But many sugar insiders believe that this is a clear sign that Mr. Alba has seen that Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) is only being used as a rubber stamp to legitimize the preferential treatment given to All Asian and the other two importers. The circumstances seem to suggest that,’’ Hontiveros said.
The two other importers are Edison Lee Marketing and Sucden Philippines.
But Malacañang maintained that Alba decided to resign as SRA administrator and not due to the sugar importation controversy.
The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) confirmed the resignation and said Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin had tried to dissuade Alba from quitting, but relented when the SRA official firmly told him of his “worsening health condition".
“As already relayed by the ES, his resignation is due to his health,” PCO Secretary Cheloy Garafil said when asked if Alba’s decision was an offshoot of the sugar importation brouhaha.
“Administrator Alba visited ES Bersamin last Wednesday, informing him of his decision to resign. ES Bersamin persuaded him not to, but he reasoned his worsening health condition,” the PCO said.
“Upon the directive of the President, his resignation will be effective on April 15 to prepare the appointment of his replacement,” it said.
Hontiveros was not satisfied with the answers.
‘’Basta ang alam natin, sa kabila ng pressure ng DA, ay hindi pumirma si Administrator Alba sa sugar release order para sa mga smuggled na asukal na nakaipit pa rin sa port of Batangas (All we know is that despite pressures by the Department of Agriculture, Alba refused to sign an order releasing the smuggled sugar now being held at the port of Batangas). Mabuhay siya! (We salute him),’’ she added.
‘’Para saan pa ang SRA? (Why is the SRA for?) Parang naging kabalintunaan na we set rigorous guidelines to import sugar for the protection of our local industry, and then we surrender that protection by allowing three traders to violate these guidelines,’’she pointed out.
‘’Malalaman din natin sa mga susunod na araw kung bibigay din ang legal division ng Bureau of Customs — na siya namang inasahan ngayon at under pressure na baligtarin ang seizure orders sa smuggled na asukal ng “favored” traders (We will know in the next few days whether the legal division of the Bureau of Customs will be pressured to release the goods to the ‘favored’ traders),’’she added.
Hontiveros then urged Alba to come put and speak out the truth.
‘’We urge others to come out if they have information as well. Baka kung Hindi (if not), you will be left holding the bag.
‘’I am also urging Malacanang to strengthen the value chain of agricultural development, not the value chain of corruption,’’ she stressed.