The appointment of Department of Agriculture Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban as Sugar Regulatory Administration officer-in-charge is “the epitome of impunity”, Senator Risa Hontiveros said on Thursday, April 20.
Malacañang on Wednesday announced the designation of Panganiban as OIC of the SRA following the resignation of its acting administrator David Alba.
“Panganiban arrogated unto himself the powers of the Sugar Regulatory Administration, and now, instead of being punished, he is being rewarded by being appointed as its OIC,” Hontiveros said in a statement posted on the Senate website.
For Malacañang and Panganiban, it appears that crime really does pay – it even rewards, she said.
“In any other government, Panganiban would already be suspended and the subject of multiple criminal and administrative investigations for his issuances which openly violate existing laws and enable the formation of a government sponsored sugar cartel in the country,” she said.
Instead of demotions or criminal or administrative charges, Panganiban is being provided by Malacañang with a plum new post at the SRA, Hontiveros said.
This is in stark contrast to their treatment of another DA official who resigned his post after being tagged in the controversial Sugar Order No. 4, she added.
“Panganiban’s appointment is the epitome of impunity. What sort of message do we hope to send here to our fellow government employees, to our farmers, to our consumers by rewarding corruption instead of punishing it?” Hontiveros asked.
If left unchecked, large-scale smuggling and outright corruption in the selection of importers will be just the beginning, she said.
“I fear that the SRA, under Panganiban, will continue to deny requests by industries to procure their own sugar supplies and justify the high prices of sugar being forced on consumers and businesses alike,” Hontiveros said.
“I am also wary about Panganiban using his new position to cover his own tracks and issue gag orders, as he has done in the past, to derail investigations into his activities and the so-called Sugar Fiasco 2.0″, she added.
The interest of the people has lost again, she said.*