Senator Cynthia Villar said that Senate President Vicente Sotto III, as chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, failed to notify her when the Committee of the Whole was constituted to examine the alleged pervasive vegetable smuggling reported by local farmers. As the committee’s hearing resumed Tuesday, Villar criticized the non-invitation of ACT-CIS Party-List Representative Eric Go-Yap, caretaker of Benguet’s congressional district, which is one of the provinces where farmers have complained that widespread imported vegetables have reduced harvest income.

Previously, the League of Associations and the La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Areas chastised Yap for allegedly failing to act on persistent vegetable smuggling.

In the last hearing, the legislator’s name was also cited as one of the authorities allegedly involved in the smuggling.

“Congressman Eric Yap… he said he wanted to attend the meeting but they don’t want to invite him. So please clarify that with the committee,” Villar stated.

However, there was no official request for Sotto to invite the congressman, according to Sotto. “Well, there is a difference between ‘not invited’ and ‘not invited.’ We have not received any request from him to be invited, ” Sotto replied. Yap, on the other hand, should have been invited as a “courtesy” because he is now a member of the House of Representatives and his name was mentioned in the prior hearing, according to Villar.

He stated that Yap might be invited to the hearing through video conference. Sotto, on the other hand, indicated that they had not received any indication that Yap want to be invited to the hearing.

“We can invite him. Hindi naman ho nakarating sa amin. Walang nagsabi sa committee na gusto niyang umattend…At ‘yung ayaw siyang imbitahin ay iba ‘yung hindi siya inimbita…Hindi totoo ‘yung ayaw siyang imbitahin. I hope nobody claims that kasi wala naman kaming sinasabing bawal dito e,” Sotto insisted.

Besides, if Congressman Eric Yap wanted to be invited, he should inform the Committee of the Whole, not a member,” Sotto added.

Villar’s engagement in the establishment of the Committee of the Whole on agricultural smuggling was followed by his participation in the formation of the Committee of the Whole on agricultural smuggling.

“He just called me and I don’t think it’s bad that he will call me. I’m just manifesting because in the first place, this agricultural smuggling is part of the committee on agriculture. I didn’t mind that the committee on agriculture… I didn’t mind that you formed the Committee as a Whole and bypassed me but, you know, if somebody calls me and he wants to be invited, I will tell you. Because after all, I am the chairman of the committee on agriculture,” Villar stated.

“I take exception to the words saying that we bypassed you. We did not bypass you. The Committee of the Whole was implemented, institutionalized during the time that it was in this plenary after my privilege speech because there were other issues other than agriculture that are involved, particularly smuggling and as a matter of fact, the blue ribbon committee agreed,” Sotto explains to Villar.

Villar, on the other hand, stated that the omission of the Committee of the Whole was not a serious concern for him.

“I don’t mind if you formed the Committee as a Whole. I don’t mind. I am always attending,” Villar replied.

“I’m just manifesting that somebody called me and he wanted to be invited. So I’m telling you. After all, I’m the chairman of the committee of agriculture,” Villar insisted.

Sotto agreed that the committee should invite Yap to present his case. However, the Senate leader underlined that he is not outperforming any of his colleagues.
As the session progressed, Yap arrived and explained that he did not accuse the committee of failing to invite him to the probe.

“I am very sorry, Mr. chair. Wala akong sinabi na hindi ako ini-invite. I [sought] the help ng brother ko baka lang puwedeng masagot ko ‘yung mga issues na binabato politically tungkol sa akin,” Yap stated.

“I’m very sorry if nagkaroon ng lost [in] translation …but it is never my point na ayaw ako imbitahin. I am just the one who is asking the help of other senator na ma-invite ako,” the congress added.

Together with the issue of the flow of imported vegetables into the nation, the Senate Committee of the Whole is looking into what the Bureau of Customs may do to limit the illicit entry of imported vegetables into the market.