Manila, Oct. 14 -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday clarified that the import permit for the "controversial" shipment carrying 5 percent broken rice from Vietnam had already been canceled before its arrival in the Philippines.

DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said he ordered the cancellation of the rice shipment aboard MV Tay Son 2 upon the request of Planters Product, Inc. (PPI).

In a statement, the agriculture chief called out statements "suggesting corruption" against the DA.

"The records will show otherwise. It was the DA, through my office, that stopped the shipment by ordering the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) to cancel its sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance, even though the vessel was already on its...