ALCALA WARNS OF FORCES OUT TO DISCREDIT REFORMS IN GOV’T

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala on Monday warned that there is really an attempt to divert the issues against those who have plundered the national coffers by discrediting people who have been pushing for genuine reforms in the bureaucracy.

The agriculture chief said that it turned out that businessman Janet Lim-Napoles, “in her affidavits dated 12 May 2014 and 26 May 2014, did not ascribe to me any abuse of the Priority Development Assistance Fund.”

Talking tough, Alcala said that the accusations against him were “malicious and has no basis in fact.”

“Sa akin pong palagay ay may deliberate attempt na linlangin ang ating mga kababayan sa pamamagitan ng paglilihis ng kanilang galit buhat sa mga taong tunay na nagsasamantala patungo doon sa mga walang malay at tunay na naglilingkod lamang,” Alcala said.

“Unfair po sa ating mga kababayan at dun sa mga napapagdiskitahan lamang,” he said.

Alcala had earlier categorically stated that he never had any dealing with Napoles in the past when he was still a congressman representing the second district of Quezon, nor in his current capacity as agriculture secretary.

At a media briefing, he cited that in the first affidavit “there was not even a hint that I was involved in the transactions therein referred to.”

In the second affidavit, Alcala said that there was an attempt to connect him to Napoles “by implying that since I was the signing authority for the Department of Agriculture.”

“Kung susuriin nating mabuti ang mga sinasabing transaksyunes na ginamit umano ang DA at ang mga ahensya nito upang pagnakawan ang ating bansa ay makikita nating walang katotohanan ang paratang sa akin,” he said.

Alcala noted that the alleged DA transactions did not even occur during his term, citing the second affidavit, which showed that the transactions happened from 2004 and 2005. “May ilang transaction na walang petsang nakalagay pero ang mga congressman na involved ay hindi na miyembro ng Kongreso noong magsimula ako sa panunungkulan sa DA,” he said.

“Kung susuriin nating mabuti ang mga sinasabing transaksyunes ay makikita  nating alang katotohanan ang paratang sa akin,” he said.

Alcala, however, pointed that the Napoles affidavits “are not to be taken hook, line and sinker.”

“Kailangan pang testingin natin kung nagsasabi siya ng katotohanan,” he added.

Alcala said it was also unfair for the farmers and the fisherfolk as this issue threatens to take away DA’s focus on its programs and services, and negate the gains the agriculture sector achieved since the start of the Aquino administration.

Alcala cited the sustained growth of the country’s palay output in the last three years, pushing national sufficiency to 96% by end of 2013, from merely 82% in 2010. This made the Philippines the second fastest growing rice producer in Asia next to India.

With increased rice harvest, coupled with intensified local palay procurement and operational reforms at the National Food Authority, the government was able to significantly reduce the country’s rice import bill, by an average of P54 billion a year, and slow down the financial bleeding of the deb-ridden grains agency, he said.  Alcala explained that from 176.8 billion in 2010, NFA’s accumulated debt incurred largely from the previous administration went down to P155 billion by the end of 2013.

He said that the need to sustain these reforms and milestones was the reason he did not even contemplate on leaving his post after being cited in the so-called “Napolist” by government critics.

“Sa aking palagay ay iba ang inyong motibasyon at hindi interes ng mga magsasaka at mangingisda ang inyong isinusulong,” he said. “Hindi ko matatalikuran ang aking paglilingkod sa kanila. (DA-OSEC)