Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. dropped a bombshell during Monday’s budget hearing—claiming that Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co allegedly tried to force the Department of Agriculture (DA) to issue thousands of fish importation permits for his companies.
Speaking before the House Committee on Appropriations, Tiu Laurel revealed that Co—who is currently in the United States—sought an enormous allocation.
“We were being forced at that time to give him 3,000 containers of fish, which I did not agree to,” Tiu Laurel said firmly.
According to the DA chief, Co wanted permits issued despite the agency’s existing formula for allocations—a formula that Laurel insists is fair, scientific, and backed by data.
“Pinipilit niya kami mag-issue ng import permit while we already have a formula… the data speaks for itself, at kaya kong tindigan ito,” he added.
Naming Names in Congress
The secretary named Co after Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon raised concerns on the country’s fish importation status, particularly galunggong. Laurel then revealed irregularities he discovered when he assumed office, such as fish unloading in private ports without proper oversight.
“Bago ako pumasok, they were allowing unloading in private ports… ang rami kong tinanggal na listahan dahil maraming kalokohan,” Laurel said.
He stressed that he rejected Co’s request for allocations to three nominated companies, one of which was even named ZC Victory Fishing Corporation.
“Hindi ako pumayag magbigay ng kahit isang container sa kanya,” the DA chief emphasized.
As of press time, GMA News Online is still reaching out to Co for his side.
The Conflict of Interest Question
The discussion later shifted when Ridon raised another sensitive point: the role of Navotas Lone District Rep. Toby Tiangco. His family-owned firm, Trans-Pacific Journey Fishing Corporation, is among the country’s biggest fish importers.
Ridon questioned whether this was a conflict of interest, given Tiangco’s past role as chair of the House Committee on Aquaculture and Fisheries.
But Tiu Laurel defended the allocation, stressing it was performance-based:
“Their family has been in fishing for more than 60 years. Kung sino ang pinakamaraming na land, recorded ng PFDA at nagbabayad ng buwis, they should get the biggest allocation,” he said.
A Heated Debate Ahead
With accusations of political pressure and possible conflicts of interest, the issue of fish importation is now under intense public scrutiny. At the heart of it lies a bigger question: Are powerful lawmakers influencing government policies for personal gain?
