Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez on Tuesday eventually attended the hearing on the controversial sugar importation issue after the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee voted to issue a subpoena against him.
“Before I begin, I would like to sincerely apologize if we have to resort to the issuance of the subpoena to compel my presence today. I have no intention or whatsoever to disrespect the honorable members of the Senate and Senate as an institution,” Rodriguez said upon arrival in the session.
“That is why immediately when I learned that a subpoena was issued, I don’t want to but I have to inform his excellency [President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.] even if he is on a state visit and immediately, he asked me to forthwith with the Senate President and immediately be present here today in the senate blue ribbon committee. Again, my apologies,” he added.
Rodriguez earlier informed the panel through an excuse letter that he will not be able to attend the hearing as “per the instructions” given to him by Marcos.
But he said he will cooperate in the investigation through a written reply.
The committee members then temporarily suspended the hearing and conducted an executive session to vote for the issuance of a subpoena against Rodriguez, following the notion made by Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros.
Hontiveros requested the subpoena requiring Rodriguez to attend the hearing in the sugar order no. 4 investigation, as he also skipped the second panel hearing due to a cabinet meeting in Malacañang.
Committee Chairman Francis Tolentino disclosed that 11 members voted to subpoena the executive secretary, three voted against, and three abstained through secret balloting.
“17 members of this committee, there was a vote conducted and a ballot envelope was used resulting in the following: 14 members of the Blue ribbon committee participated in the secret balloting,” Tolentino said.
The Senate hearing is about the investigation of the alleged “illegal” and “unauthorized” issuance of Sugar Order No. 4 (SO 4) which directed the importation of 300,000 metric tons of sugar.
During the first senate hearing, Rodriguez admitted that he received the draft of the SO4 but ignored the order.
