Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. revealed during a congressional hearing that Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co allegedly tried to force the Department of Agriculture (DA) to issue importation permits for 3,000 containers of fish to three companies linked to him.
The disclosure came during a House Committee on Appropriations hearing on the DA’s proposed budget for 2025. Tiu Laurel did not mince words when he said, “We were being forced at that time to give him 3,000 containers of fish, which I did not agree to.”
He explained that the DA already had a formula in place to determine fish import allocations based on scientific data and performance, which he was committed to following. “Pinipilit niya kami mag-issue ng import permit while we already have a formula… kaya kong tindigan ito,” the agriculture chief added.
Tiu Laurel named Co in response to a question from Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon regarding fish importation, especially galunggong. The DA chief also mentioned irregularities before his appointment, including questionable unloading at private ports and long lists of dubious transactions that he had to clear out.
Among the companies Co reportedly endorsed for importation allocation was ZC Victory Fishing Corporation. “I have personal knowledge of the three companies he wanted me to give allocation to… I did not approve even one container,” Tiu Laurel said.
The hearing also took a deeper turn when Ridon raised the issue of potential conflict of interest involving Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, whose family owns Trans-Pacific Journey Fishing Corporation — one of the top fish importers in the country. Tiangco previously chaired the House Committee on Aquaculture and Fisheries.
Asked whether this was a concern, Tiu Laurel defended the company’s performance-based allocation, stating that they land the most fish and pay the proper taxes. “Technically, kung sino ang pinakamaraming na land… they should get the biggest allocation,” he said.
