Lacson backs Valderrama’s no resignation stance

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Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson supports the stand of Negrense planter Aurelio Gerardo “Bodie” Valderrama, to wait for the decision of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on whether he will stay, or not, in the Sugar Regulatory Administration Board.

This was after SRA chief Hermenegildo Serafica and Sugar Board member, Atty. Roland Beltran resigned from their respective posts following the sugar importation mess.

Valderrama was appointed two weeks ago by Marcos Jr. as a member of the Sugar Board, representing the planters, while Serafica and Beltran were appointees of then President Rodrigo Duterte.

Aurelio Gerardo “Bodie” Valderrama

“I agree with Mr. Valderrama that he will wait for the decision of the President,” Lacson, himself a sugar planter, said. He pointed out that Valderrama is “at the disposal of the President”.

Valderrama, the so-called “last man standing” at the SRA Board, sent a letter to the President on Aug. 15 “explaining what happened (during the issuance of Sugar Order No. 4) and for the President to say if he wants me to resign or not.”

“I did not seek the appointment but accepted it with the intention of bringing the producers voice to the SRA and to help craft measures to address industry concerns,” he said.

He said that the Sugar Order No 4 is based on facts and proper consultations.

“The proposed sugar importation was based on SRA’s official data and supply/demand analysis, as well as prevailing high market prices, which established a clear basis for additional imports. This is supported by resolutions from industry stakeholders themselves, including those who now demand our resignation,” Valderrama pointed out in a statement.

As to the probe on the sugar importation mess, Lacson said “the mistake was that Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian signed the Sugar Order Number 4”, that calls for the importation of 300,000 metric tons of sugar.

“The right thing to do was to present their recommendation to the President, for the Chief Executive to approve or not,” he said.

Marcos Jr. eventually said the country might need to import 150,000MT of refined sugar only.

The statement was contested by some planters, who stressed that if there is a need to import, it should be raw and not refined sugar.

Lacson, meanwhile, disagreed with the claims of some sectors that there is a “sugar crisis”, noting that sugar is abundant in the markets although of higher prices.

“The sugar industry never said that it is totally against the importation. It’s just that we have to agree on the volume, its timing when (the supply) will come in, and to watch for possible smuggling,” Lacson said./GB