Ex-SRA chief denies corruption allegations

BACOLOD CITY—The former head of Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) has spoken out to deny allegations of corruption leveled against her by President Duterte.

Anna Rosario Paner, who resigned as SRA administrator, said at a press conference Wednesday that the sugar industry has been “victimized by politicking, and I was just collateral damage.”

It was the first time Paner had voiced her sentiments after Duterte had accused her of paying out excessive consultancy fees.

“I have not abused the SRA with any expense,” she said.

She added that she served the agency with full transparency.

Paner claimed the President was misinformed by “whistleblowers.”

“Let me categorically say…..I did not gain anything from any contracts that SRA entered into,” she said.

The President on September 25 appointed SRA Board Member Hermenegildo Serafica as Paner’s replacement.

Paner said she will always be thankful to Duterte for the confidence and trust he once held for her.

She said that when she took over at SRA, she was confronted with the Commission on Audit (COA) findings for the year 2015 that the agency did not have a Disaster Risk Reduction Management Program and was not able to help farmers, producers, millers during disasters.

A Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committee was convened and chaired by Rolando Beltan of the Sugar Board to come up with a disaster risk reduction mediumterm plan on for 2017-2022. (Mark L. Garcia)