Former Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) director Eduardo Gongona vehemently denied that he was involved in agricultural smuggling in the country.
At the National Press Club forum this Friday, he said he was surprised to include his name on the list released by the Senate.
“Noong hearing kasi hindi man lang ako natanong kahit isa lang. Fisheries was not even the center of the issue kundi vegetables at meat products lalo na sa pork. Tapos paglabas, kasama ‘yong pangalan ko sa coddler ng smuggling. Wow. I deny any involvement,” said Gongona.
Gongona wrote to the Senate to clarify his involvement and wanted to know from whom the report came to the Department of Agriculture.
He is also ready to file a case with the Office of the Ombudsman for investigation.
“Trabaho po nila yun na magkaroon nn imbestigasyon sa Senate para ma-improve ang Sistema pero hindi ang magpahiya ng tao… Kasuhan na lang nila ako sa Ombudsman para malamin natin,” said Gongona.
He added that BFAR does not cover the approval of import permits.
Former BFAR director denies involvement in agri smuggling
“Ang BFAR, we are not importing. Ang nag-iimport, DA. We just give figures. Ilan ba ang kulang diyan? The last time sabi naming 66,000 metric tons of fish. Akalain mo diyna sa DA nga, meron diyang panukala ‘yong adviser ni Secretary Dar, ang gusto niya mag-import ng 400,000 metric tons of fish,” said Gongona.
BFAR’s work is only until the Sanitary Phytosanitary import clearance issuance and not the first border clearance.
“Pag sumobra ang arrival, may smuggling diyan. Hindi namin trabaho ang sa smuggling. We have Bureau of Customs kung ano ang nangyayari and we give out the figures so paano ako mai-involve diyan?” said Gongona.
For former chairman of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission Greco Belgica, DA officials may have been included in the list because of their position.
“Sina direktor, Usec. Eric, and some other officials, easy suspects because of the positions they are holding. Yung inilabas ni Senator Sotto, kailangan pang imbestighan ‘yan. Unang-una sinabing sa DA galing so this is an intelligence report. Yung position po ni Usec. Gongona, nasa taas siya. Eh ang operations nasa baba kaya siya ang napagibibintangan pero tumatanggap lang naman siya ng report,” said Belgica.
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