VICE-PRESIDENTIAL candidate Senator Francis “Kiko” Panglinan on Tuesday dared an official of the Department of Agriculture to name those who are protecting big smuggling syndicates in the country.
At the continuation of the investigation by the Senate Committee of the Whole on vegetable smuggling, Pangilinan addressed Agriculture Dialogue and Information Network Groups Assistant Secretary Federico Laciste, urging the official to not be afraid to name names.
“Kung ano iyong name na ni-drop, can you please submit to the Senate President’s Office as Chairman of the Committee of the Whole so that we get a sense of this all,” Pangilinan said.
“Hinihiling namin iyong mga binanggit ninyong pangalan na may politician. Iyon ang listahan at ibigay niyo sa amin. Ang ibinigay niyong listahan, walang pangalan ng politiko e,” he added.
Pangilinan challenged the consistency of Laciste’s statements today as these run counter to what he previously said in a March 19 dialogue with Benguet farmers and during the senate hearing on March 28.
On both occasions, Laciste was firm in saying that he received several phone calls last year from various high-ranking government officials, including a congressman, telling him to drop the cases against those involved in vegetable smuggling.
But during today’s hearing, the official recanted and refused to drop the names of those calling him.
Laciste defended himself, saying he was only overzealous to appease Agot Balanoy of the League of Associations of La Trinidad Vegetable, who earlier said she received threats for speaking about the rampant smuggling in the Cordilleras.
Pangilinan mentioned that Laciste is not to be blamed for changing tunes. But the lawmaker hopes that the government official musters enough courage to tell the truth, especially in front of lawmakers.
