Senate Minority Leader Frank Drilon on Sunday called for full transparency in the country’s pork importation scheme and urged the Department of Agriculture (DA) to disclose the list of meat importers under the minimum access volume or MAV scheme.
“I call for complete transparency. If we are transparent, we can avoid people’s perception that there is corruption in pork importation,” said Drilon, citing various allegations of “tongpats” or kickbacks in pork importation.
“Sino ang makikinabang? Saan manggagaling ang imported pork? Sino ang importer?” added Drilon in an interview with radio station DZBB.
Drilon made the remark a day ahead of the Senate committee of the whole hearing on Monday to inquire into the food security crisis caused by the outbreak of African Swine Flu.
Last month, the Senate adopted Resolution 97 urging the President to declare a State of National Emergency due to the severe impact of the African Swine Fever and opposing the proposed reduction in tariff and increase in MAV.
Amid allegations of corruption, Drilon said the DA should disclose the recipients of meat import certificates under the MAV scheme.
He cited how a similar scheme in the country’s rice importation scheme is also plagued with corruption allegations.
“Noong panahon ng rice importation control, marami kang naririnig na commission na galing doon sa mga bansa na binibilhan natin ng bigas. The same situation here. Sino ba ang importer at saan manggagaling?” Drilon said.
Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)
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