139 NFA officials, employees suspended; Agri chief Laurel to take over

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. is set to temporarily take over the National Food Administration (NFA) as the suspension order covering nearly 140 officials and employees takes effect.

In a statement, Laurel said the suspension order of the Ombudsman against 139 NFA officials and employees — including administrator Roderico Bioco and assistant administrator for operations John Robert Hermano — will be implemented on Monday, March 4, 2024.

“I have been in contact with the Office of the Ombudsman ever since this controversy erupted. I also created a special panel of internal investigators to determine culpability and see how we can prevent it from happening again in the future,” the statement read.

“To avoid any delays in the services and projects of the agency, I will temporarily take over the leadership of the NFA. Apart from the suspended NFA personnel, who as we speak after being served their suspension letters, we expect everyone in the agency to do their regular job to ensure that our countrymen are provided the service they deserve,” it added.

Laurel earlier established a panel to look into allegations that certain officials authorized the sale of milled rice stored in the agency’s warehouse for P25 a kilogram without bidding, and after purchasing the grains in palay (unmilled rice) form at P23 per kilogram.

In response, the NFA issued a statement saying it had the mandate to dispose of its rice in good and consumable condition, as it said it released the supply responsibly by stretching to the maximum shelf life, and minimizing the sale of residual volume to other accounts.

The suspension of the NFA officials and employees is said to allow the Ombudsman to secure all the documents and other evidence relating to the supposed “disadvantageous” sale of the buffer stocks.

“Rice is the main food staple of tens of millions of Filipinos, particularly the poor. We cannot allow those who have been entrusted this noble task to bilk the NFA, enriching themselves at the expense of millions who struggle every day for a chance to feed their families,” Laurel said.

?“We beg your indulgence that we cannot discuss more than what we have said about this issue since the Ombudsman and DA investigations are still ongoing. Rest assured that once we have results, we will immediately inform the public,” he added.

Under its mandate, the NFA is tasked to maintain sufficient rice buffer stocks to be sourced mainly from local farmers. The agency, for its part, said it is also mandated to keep and dispose of 99.9% of stocks in good and consumable condition.—AOL, GMA Integrated News