Agriculture officials snub ‘lumba-lumba’ probe
MANAOAG—First there was the fertilizer scam involving Department of Agriculture officials before and during the 2004 eletcions, and now another scam appears to be in the works victimizing farmers anew before the 2007 elections.
This became apparent after provincial agriculture officials snubbed a hearing set by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to look into the lumba-lumba issue wherein farmers were allegedly given substandard seeds, resulting in huge losses from their recent harvest.
Provincial Agriculturist Jose Almendares and the Department of Agriculture (DAR) officer tasked to distribute the seeds to the farmers failed to appear before the November 24 probe initiated by fourth district Board Member John Agerico Rosario.
Board members, utterly dismayed by the agriculture officials’ absence, passed a resolution expressing their disgust.
“Why is a simple invitation by this board is not given importance or ignored?,” second district Board Member Von Mark Mendoza said and subsequently filed a resolution to express the sentiment of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan
On the lumba-lumba (a local term meaning racing against each other) case, Rosario said some farmers, particularly those from his town as well as Basista and Alaminos City, have complained about the losses they suffered because the supposedly certified seeds given to them were adulterated with inferior seeds.
The palay they planted did not grow simultaneously and farmers were unable to harvest their produce all at the same time. Farmers thus ended up harvesting twice in one cropping season, which meant a doubling of efforts and resources.
Rosario said he learned that the seed control department of the Bureau of Plant Industry had certified that the seeds are high-yielding but some unscrupulous people apparently replaced and mixed inferior seeds in them.
“The farmers were cheated. Somebody is making money and preying on these farmers who rely on the services of Department of Agriculture,” Rosario said.
Another hearing on the case has been set for December 8. — EVA
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