Rep. Rodante Marcoleta of the Sagip party-list group on Wednesday sought the resignation of Bureau of Plants Industry (BPI) Director Gerald Glenn Panganiban in light of an alleged cartel in the onion industry.
“Sayang wala lang si Director Panganiban (It’s a shame Mr. Panganiban isn’t here),” said Marcoleta during the hearing of the House Committee on Agriculture and Food chaired by Quezon Rep. Mark Everga.
The committee has been conducting a congressional inquiry on what legislators believe to be an artificial shortage of onion that led to high prices during the Christmas Season in 2022.
In Wednesday’s hearing, the committee invited Panganiban as one of the resource persons but the latter failed to show up as he attend an ‘official function’ from May 7 to 12 in Rome, Italy.
Panganiban’s absence irked Marcoleta. “ (Maybe) I will ask him to resign already, Mr. Chair. I’d like to put that on record that Director Panganiban heads three agencies but he cannot focus on any of them. That is why we are now in this sad plight. Ito, sibuyas pa lang po ang pinag-uusapan (We’re only talking about onions here),” Marcoleta said.
Aside from being BPI director, Panganiban is also listed as the director of the National Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Program (NUPAP) and High-Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP). These are all under the Department of Agriculture (DA).
“These are important agencies under the agriculture department. Isang tao lang ang naghe -head (Only one person is heading these). Do you
consider Director Panganiban as a Superman?” Marcoleta asked.
“Kaya siguro nagkakaganito tayo eh (That’s why we’re in this situation),” he added.
Marcoleta said Panganiban’s surname should be changed to “Panganib” — which the legislator meant “danger.”
“Can we change Director Glenn Panganiban’s surname, Mr. Chair? Instead of Panganiban, let’s make it ‘Panganib’. Because we’re in danger
here),” Marcoleta lamented. “Imagine, three important agencies mandated or talked to assure the food sufficiency of this country,
under just one person. I will raise this directly to President Marcos when I get to talk to him),” the SAGIP legislator stated.
The committee then ruled that Panganiban be compelled to attend future hearings on the issue.