BFAR chief sinabon nina Kiko, Tulfo vs pag-absent, makupad na kilos ng DA rep
Ni Ernie Reyes
Matinding sinabon nina Senador Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan at Senador Erwin Tulfo ang hepe ng Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) hinggil sa pagliban nito sa pagdinig at makupad at kawalan ng kahandaan ng ilang kinatawan ng Department of Agriculture (DA) sa pagdinig ng komite.
Sa ginanap na pagdinig ng Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform, kapwa kinuwestiyon nina Pangilinan at Tulfo ang prayoridad at antas ng kakayahan ng mga opisyal dahil hindi maipaliwanag ang ilang isyung lumutang sap pagdinig.
Nabigong dumalo sa pagdinig si BFAR Director Elizer Salilig noong Feb. 18.
“They were not just late, they were also unable to answer our questions and were not prepared,” ani Pangilinan, chairman ng committee, sa pagsisimula ng pagdinig nitong Huwebes.
Tinutukoy ni Pangilinan si BFAR Assistant Director Isidro Velayo, na dumalo sa phuling pagdinig dahil nabigong dumalo si Salilig na nagtungo sa House of Representatives hinggil sa katulad na pagdinig.
“If you think you can behave like this before Senate committees, you are mistaken. This should serve as a lesson to everyone,” aniya.
Ipinaliwanag naman ni Salilig bilang tugon sa show-cause order ng komite, na nakatanggap sila ng tatlong opisyal na imbitasyon sa pagdinig na nakatakda sa magkatulad na araw at oras.
Bukod sa pagdinig ng Senado, imbitado din sila sa Mababang Kapulungan at may pulong na hiwalay sa kinatawan ngUnited States Department of State Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs.
Ngunit, kinuwestiyon ni Tulfo ang desisyon ng BFAR na bigyang prayoridad ang ibang imbitasyon.
“It seems you treated this committee as your third priority. You prioritized the United States first, then the House of Representatives, and we came last?” ani Tulfo.
Question on competence
Pangilinan later said Salilig still failed to address why BFAR officials arrived late at the hearing and caused delays.
“Surely you are not fools or idiots at BFAR that you cannot answer when you are being asked to respond. Either you are slow-headed, incompetent, or you deliberately avoided answering because you have no excuse,” dagdag ng senador saka nagbanta na maaari siyang makasuhan ng contempt.
Iginiit naman ni Pangilinan na hindi siya naniniwalang incompetent ang hepe ng BFAR kaya’t inatasan nitong makipagpulong sa staff ng komite.
“I do not wish to think the BFAR is incompetent,” ani Pangilinan.
“Because there were many issues we mentioned in the show-cause order that you did not answer directly. Prior to that, the representatives you sent were also unable to respond. I hope this is not an indicator of the bureau’s incompetence,” diin ng senador.
Humingi ng paumanhin si Salilig sa komite.
