LAS PIÑAS CITY, (PIA) -- President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has appointed David John Thaddeus Alba as acting administrator of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), according to Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez on Saturday.

Alba is the general manager of Asociacion de Agricultores de La Carlota y Pontevedra Inc. (AALCPI) which is considered the largest independent sugar group in Negros Occidental.

Alba replaces former SRA administrator Hermenegildo Serafica, who resigned after signing Sugar Order No. 4 which mandates that the country import 300,000 metric tons of sugar.

Malacañang first announced that the massive sugar importation was illegal and did not have the permission of President Marcos.

Pablo Luis Azcona and Ma. Mitzi Mangwag as new SRA board members who will represent sugar planters and millers.

Meanwhile, apart from Serafica, Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian resigned first, admitting that he made a mistake when he signed the document on the importation of sugar without Marcos' blessing. SRA board member Roland Beltran also resigned.

Even after resigning, Malacañang assured that those involved will still face the investigation related to the alleged illegal directive to import. (PIA-NCR)