Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. disclosed that Rep. Zaldy Co of Ako Bicol Partylist previously pressured him to issue fish import allocations to three companies, including ZC Victory Fishing Corp.

“We were being forced at that time to give him (Rep. Zaldy Co) 3,000 containers of fish which I did not agree. Pinipilit niya kami mag-issue ng import permit while we already have a formula. Which, ito na nga iyong formula na lumabas and it is very clear na fair ito scientifically, the data speaks for itself. At kaya kong tindigan ito,” Tiu Laurel Jr. said during the House Committee on Appropriations budget hearing.

He added that Co endorsed three companies for the import permits but was turned down.

“I only have personal knowledge on the three companies he wanted me to give allocation kahit na may formula na kami. Hindi ako pumayag magbigay ng kahit isang container sa tatlong nominated companies niya. At ang isang kumpanya doon, pangalan pa, ZC Victory Fishing Corporation,” Laurel said.

He emphasized that no permits were issued despite Co’s insistence.

Laurel said he firmly rejected the request, which involved a massive volume of fish containers.

The hearing also touched on the role of Trans-Pacific Journey Fishing Corp. (TPJ), which Laurel confirmed as the country’s biggest importer of galunggong. The firm is owned by the family of Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco.

“They are the biggest fishing company in terms of total volume of fish landed, not only galunggong (round scad fish). Kasi ang Trans-Pacific Journey is tuna and galunggong,” Laurel explained.

Pressed by Rep. Terry Ridon about possible conflict of interest as Tiangco previously sat as a member of the House Aquaculture and Fisheries Committee, Laurel defended the allocation process.

“I think they deserve what they are getting because they are the pinakamalaking nila-land talaga e’. This is very scientific and everything, so wala akong nakikitang issue,” Laurel said.

“I’ve been working with the industry for so long. Iyong kumpanya nila, their family has been in fishing for more than 60 years. It’s performance-based, Mr. Chair,” he added.

Laurel added that under the previous administration, questionable reporting and unloading practices in private ports had distorted fish import records. His leadership, he said, has since tightened oversight by requiring documentation only from official PFDA (Philippine Fisheries Development Authority) ports.