BACOLOD CITY: The president of the sugar planters group said that they were 'shocked and disgusted' with the importation fiasco made by the Sugar Regulatory Administration's (SRA) board of directors that acted illegally in issuing Sugar Order (SO) 4. 'They made us believe that this went through proper consultation and had the imprimatur of the President. We are thankful that the order was revoked as we are against importation, especially of raw sugar now that milling operations have started,' Manuel Lamata, president of the United Sugar Producers Federation, said in a statement. Lamata said the group was relieved when President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. denied that he approved the importation of 300,000 metric tons (mt) of sugar under SO 4. He added that they 'adhere to what the President says. I am thankful he is protecting the industry and on top of the situation.' Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson credited Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer for the decision of the President to deny the importation of 300,000 mt of sugar under SO 4. Ferrer has been recently appointed by Marcos as the personal adviser for Western Visayas. Ferrer said he is thankful to the President for being hands-on and immediately acting on the matter. After a thorough investigation, the culprits should be penalized, the vice governor said. Malacañang called SO 4 'illegal.' At a press conference on Thursday, August 11, Press Secretary Rose Beatrix 'Trixie' Cruz-Angeles said an investigation is ongoing over the 'unauthorized' signing of the document directing the importation of 300,000 mt of sugar on top of what had already been imported in May of this year.