Former Ako Bicol Partylist Representative Zaldy Co on Wednesday released a new video accusing Agriculture Secretary Francis Tiu Laurel Jr. of stopping a House investigation into alleged rice smuggling and price manipulation.
Co said the Quinta Committee (Murang Pagkain Super Committee) probe led by then-Albay 2nd District Representative Joey Salceda was abruptly halted after Laurel presented a confidential report.
“Bigla na lang itong pinahinto ni… Tiu Laurel matapos niyang ipakita ang isang confidential report, nakasaad dito si First Lady Liza Marcos mismo ang may hawak sa mga rice importers,” Co said.
He claimed Laurel warned lawmakers that the First Lady “will be affected” if the inquiry continued, saying she had joined a group of rice importers on a Vietnam trip and had dinner with them.
“Ayon kay Secretary (Tiu) Laurel, maaapektuhan daw ang First Lady kung itutuloy ang imbestigasyon,” he said.
According to Co, House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos also called then-Speaker Martin Romualdez “as instructed by the President” to order the House to stop the investigation.
He linked the halted inquiry to persistently high rice prices despite the reduction of import tariffs from 35% to 15%.
“Doon namin naintindihan kung bakit kahit na ibinaba na ang import tax ng bigas mula 35% to 15% ay hindi pa rin bumaba ang presyo sa merkado dahil sa pala dami ng SOP at remittance na ipinapasa sa bawat transaksyon,” he said.
Co concluded that the situation allegedly involved the country’s most powerful political figures.
“Ang pinakamakapangyarihang pamilya pa mismo ang sangkot… mula sa Pangulo, First Lady, hanggang sa anak, sila mismo ang nagtatakda, kumokontrol at nakikinabang sa mga transaksyong dapat sana’y para sa kapakanan ng sambayanan,” he said.
President Marcos Jr. recently extended the 15% tariff on imported rice until the end of 2025.