- GILBERT BAYORAN
Negrense David John Thaddeus Alba on Wednesday, March 22, said that he has not resigned as head of the Sugar Regulatory Administration, yet.
Alba was reacting to reports being circulated in the sugar industry that he already submitted his resignation to Malacañang, but this has yet to be acted on by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who is also the concurrent Agriculture secretary.
Asked if he already submitted his resignation two weeks ago, Alba, in a phone interview, responded by saying “just get all the statements from the Department of Agriculture”.
Alba reportedly decided to resign from his position as SRA chief due to “pressure from above”, with the imminent Senate hearing on sugar smuggling, and the controversial Sugar Order 6 that allowed the importation of 440,000 metric tons of sugar.
In a statement, Enrique Rojas, president of the National Federation of Sugarcane Planters, said “we praise his decision to resign, if he reasonably feels that he is simply being manipulated to commit acts or omissions, which are disadvantageous and grossly damaging to the sugar industry.”
Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros yesterday urged the administration to confiscate tons of alleged smuggled sugar that were supposedly imported by three “favored” traders.
Hontiveros issued the statement after Marcos Jr. approved the sale of seized smuggled sugar at P70 per kilo at Kadiwa centers.
Malacañang earlier said that the government has decided to sell confiscated smuggled sugar at affordable prices, instead of giving them out for free as this could result in an artificial drop in prices that may affect small sugar farmers.
“They are too excited about the 12,000 metric tons confiscated in Subic and Batangas…If the administration is really serious about ensuring ample supply of affordable sugar in the country, then it should start with immediately confiscating the sugar stocks illegally imported into the country by the three ‘favored’ importers,” Hontiveros said.
Rojas, on the other hand, said it is understandable that businessmen make a profit on their transactions.
“But when such transaction was secured through favoritism, then it is unfair to other traders. And when such profit is too high and was secured thru questionable means, then it is grossly unfair to all consumers and other traders,” he added./GB
