Manila: Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. announced that he is contemplating filing a cyber libel case against former Ako Bicol Party-list representative Zaldy Co. Co accused the Marcos administration of hiding irregularities involving First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and her relatives in the agriculture sector, such as manipulating prices and the importation of rice, onions, sugar, and fish.

According to Philippines News Agency, during a press conference, Tiu Laurel stated that he has instructed his legal team to prepare potential complaints, which are likely to be filed in Makati or Quezon City, possibly by January. He emphasized the need for careful consideration before proceeding with legal action. The agriculture chief expressed concerns that Co's claims could damage confidence in the sector and labeled the misinformation as a 'matter of national security,' as some might believe the allegations.

Despite the allegations, Tiu Laurel reassured that morale within the Department of Agriculture and investor confidence remain strong. He criticized Co for 'twisting facts' and shared some of his interactions with the former lawmaker. Tiu Laurel recalled an incident in March 2024 when Co invited him to Polo Townhomes in Makati City to introduce a major sugar importer who requested a 200,000 MT sugar import allocation.

Tiu Laurel expressed shock at the size of the request and accused Co of having ulterior motives. He explained that the estimated profit from this allocation would be PHP2 billion. In response, Tiu Laurel mentioned issuing Sugar Order No. 2 to improve the allocation system and eliminate favoritism among importers, resulting in a total of 280,000 MT of sugar imports in 2024. This order served as the basis for rejecting Co's request.

Additionally, Tiu Laurel refuted Co's claims involving presidential brother-in-law Martin Araneta, asserting that Araneta never made an importation request. He emphasized that the First Lady has never intervened in Department of Agriculture matters during his tenure. Tiu Laurel also reported Co's 'personal' requests for fish import allocations for his nominated companies, covering 3,000 containers. After refusing Co twice, Tiu Laurel noted experiencing resentment from Co, who then began undermining him.