DA chief urged to take leave amid rice import probe
MANILA, Philippines — The Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) on Wednesday urged Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. to show “delicadeza” and take a leave of absence while an investigation into the alleged illegal importation of P395 million worth of rice is ongoing.
The Bureau of Customs seized 312,000 bags of Vietnamese rice imported by Planters Products, Inc. (PPI), where Laurel holds 79 percent of the stock as chair.
“As DA Secretary and Foundation Chairman, Laurel exercises majority voting rights over the selection of PPI’s board of directors at its annual stockholders meeting,” FFF national manager Raul Montemayor said in a statement.
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FFF also called for the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) Director Glenn Panganiban’s leave of absence.
The PPI’s shipment was apprehended after the BPI’s sudden revocation of its sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance. The 15,600-metric-ton rice cargo is now detained at the Port of Davao after the vessel attempted to flee the country. —Holly Bacay
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