ANGELES CITY – Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Regional Director Judith Angeles denies the allegations of the Philippine Iron and Steel Institute (PISI) accusing Zambales Provincial Director Leonila Baluyut for graft charges before the Office of the Ombudsman.
The said allegations according to Angeles, are baseless, malicious and incriminating in nature as Baluyut had acted within the mandate and bounds of the law, rules and regulations being implemented by the DTI.
“I can’t see any irregularity in the performance of duty of PD Baluyut as far as the issuance of the provisional/conditional import commodity clearance to the applicant Mannage Resources Trading Corporation. PD Baluyut’s actions from the receipt of the application for Import Commodity Clearance to its issuance is sanctioned by the provisions on the laws on Import Commodity Clearance,” she said.
As to the allegations that DTI-Zambales Provincial Office did not subject to thorough tests and industry-accepted safety standards the said imported deformed steel bars, RD Angeles said that this is without merit.
Clearly, the testing of these products shall be conducted by an independent Testing Center as in this case the Metals Industry Research and Development Center (MIRDC) of the Department of Science and Technology.
“Further, considering that the Test Report issued by SGS-CSTC and MIRDC showing compliance with the requirements of the standards, the Bureau of Product Standards endorsed the same to DTI-Zambales for the issuance of the Import Commodity Clearance. Evaluation of the Test Report is enshrined to BPS and not to DTI-Zambales,” Angeles added.
Angeles reiterated that PISI’s accusations are unsubstantiated and defamatory.
PISI actuations against Baluyut is said to be a trial by publicity and she welcomes the filing of the said graft charges in order to prove her innocence.
As of this writing, Baluyut has not received any copy of the Complaint against her as published by the PISI./(DTI)