Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian has resigned from his post as Department of Agriculture (DA) undersecretary for operations and chief of staff to the DA Secretary following the unauthorized Sugar Order No. 4 which allowed the importation of 300,000 metric tons of sugar.
His resignation was announced by Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles in a Facebook live on Friday night, August 12.
Angeles said Sebastian apologized in a letter to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for approving the order without authorization from the President who also leads the DA and as the chairperson of the Sugar Regulatory Board.
“I take accountability and responsibility for its consequences,” Sebastian said in his one-page letter.
“Thus, I humbly offer to be relieved of my delegated authorities and the assignments and responsibilities in my capacity as Chief of Staff and Undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture,” he added.
Angeles has earlier described as “illegal” Sugar Order No. 4 issued by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), which supposedly directs the importation of 300,000 metric tons of sugar.
“The Chairman of the Sugar Regulatory Board is President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. As such, the chairman sets the date of any meetings or convening of the Sugar Regulatory Board and its agenda. No such meeting was authorized by the President or such a resolution likewise, was not authorized,” she said in a media briefing Thursday.
“Usec Sebastian was not authorized to sign such a resolution because the President did not authorize the importation,” she added, while assuring that an investigation is being conducted.
A farmers’ group, the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (Sinag) has lauded Marcos’ decision to reject the importation of 300,000 MT of sugar.
Sinag Executive Director Jayson Cainglet said the SRA and the DA should heed the marching order of the chief executive to support local production.
–ag
