Former DA secretary Manny Piñol (left), Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre (Facebook)

It was during Manny Piñol's tenure as Department of Agriculture (DA) secretary in the previous Duterte administration that prices of rice--the Filipino staple food--skyrocketed.

Thus, said Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre, in what appeared to be a continuing retort against Piñol over the latter's recent criticism of President Marcos, particularly over the supposed bloated national debt.

Acidre recalled how rice prices in certain areas soared to as high as P70 per kilo during Piñol’s time in office.

“During Secretary Piñol’s tenure, rice prices rose to levels that placed a heavy burden on many Filipino families. It’s important to remember that history, especially when public trust is being sought again,” Acidre, a House assistant majority leader, said.

“In September 2018, the rice crisis emerged as a national issue tied to broader economic challenges. Inflation peaked at 6.7 percent that month—the highest in nearly a decade—with food inflation among poor households even higher," he said.

"As the staple food of Filipinos, rice was at the center of the crisis: retail prices for well-milled rice in Metro Manila ranged from ₱46 to ₱48 per kilo, about 14 percent higher than the previous year,” added the party-list solon.

Piñol, who is running for governor of North Cotabato, recently criticized the Marcos administration over the country’s P16.63-trillion national debt.

Acidre said the public ought to review Piñol's track record.

The House leader noted that Piñol served in the previous administration that oversaw a significant expansion of the country’s liabilities.

The Duterte administration, where Piñol served as DA chief from 2016 to 2019, incurred P7.2 trillion in loans over six years—exceeding the combined total borrowings from the time of President Manuel Quezon to President Benigno Aquino III. This period spanned nearly nine decades.

Presidential Adviser on Poverty Alleviation Larry Gadon earlier said the Duterte administration’s pandemic-era borrowing contributed heavily to the current debt situation.

Acidre also pointed to policy decisions made during Piñol’s time as DA secretary, particularly during a period of rice supply shortages and price hikes.

“There was even a proposal to legalize rice smuggling in Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi at the time. These are sensitive decisions that affected both consumers and local farmers,” Acidre said.

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He also recalled the DA's response to the 2017 bird flu outbreak, which led to the culling of hundreds of thousands of poultry and had a significant impact on the livelihoods of affected communities.

“These were difficult moments that tested the department’s preparedness and ability to respond swiftly,” he said.

The Visayas lawmaker also pointed to allegations that Piñol pressured fishermen involved in the 2019 Recto Bank incident to revise their statements after a closed-door meeting, which human rights advocates described as coercion and a cover-up.

“Trust is built not just on words, but on actions and outcomes. Voters have every right to review past performance and ask the necessary questions. Ultimately, we owe it to the public to present facts and let them decide,” Acidre said.