Sotto: ‘Biggest mistake’ if Dar reappointed Agri chief by next admin

Reappointing William Dar as the Department of Agriculture (DA) secretary would be the next administration's "biggest mistake," Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Tuesday.

The lawmaker made the remark after United Broiler Raisers Association president Elias Jose Inciong slammed a press statement recently released by the DA.

"He made a press release that he wants his reforms to continue and he has issued an open application to all the presidential candidates that he is still available to serve beyond the present term," Inciong said during the third Senate hearing on agricultural smuggling in the country.

"We are in a very difficult situation when your secretary of Agriculture is someone like Secretary Dar and I am reiterating my situation na wala ho, sinalaula ho talaga," he added.

Sotto then backed Inciong's concern, saying he was expecting a "light at the end of the tunnel" in the agriculture sector at the end of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

"That will be the biggest mistake of the next administration. I was hoping that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, May 9, 2022, kasi pagdating nang June 30 wala na sila—unless magkamali ang electorate at ang ginawa e 'to be continued'," Sotto said.

(That will be the biggest mistake of the next administration. I was hoping that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, May 9, 2022, because after June 30, they will step down from their posts—unless our electorate commits a mistake and goes with "to be continued.")

Inciong was apparently referring to the statement of the DA last April 7 which asked the next administration to continue the "OneDA" Reform Agenda.

“This reform agenda has four pillars and 18 key strategies. Implementation is only two and a half years old, and on a tight budget, we have known significant gains,” Dar was quoted as saying.

In the same statement, Dar "expressed his hope to contribute to agri-fishery solutions to ensure stability in the next administration."

GMA News Online has sought Dar's comment on Inciong and Sotto's remarks.

No-show

At the early part of the hearing, Sotto and Senator Panfilo Lacson questioned Dar's absence from all hearings conducted by the committee of the whole.

Agriculture Assistant Secretary Federico Laciste Jr., who was physically present during the hearing, explained that Dar has to attend to other official functions which were scheduled prior to the committee investigation.

In an ambush interview after the hearing, Sotto said he would not oppose it if Duterte fires Dar, saying that agriculture stakeholders are agitated by the DA chief's policies.

"Pagka ganyan na ang takbo, bakit hindi? Aanhin mo pa yun eh lahat ng stakeholders ng agrikultura sa Pilipinas, kaaway niya. Ang kakampi lang niya mga importer. Aba e siguro naman ay nakakarating na sa Presidente yan," Sotto said when asked if Dar should be fired from his post.

(If that is the situation, why not? Why would you keep if all the agriculture stakeholders in the Philippines are his enemies? His sole allies are the importers. I hope that this situation has reached the president already.)

Lacson, on the other hand, said Dar should be given a chance as the latter promised to appear in the next Senate hearing. — BM, GMA News