Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. on Monday implemented the preventive suspension ordered by the Ombudsman against 139 officials of the National Food Authority (NFA) amidst the ongoing investigation into alleged disadvantageous sale of rice buffer stocks.
Suspended by the Ombudsman for up to six months are NFA administrator Roderico Bioco, assistant administrator for operations John Robert Hermano,12 regional managers, 27 branch managers and 98 warehouse supervisors throughout the country.
“The preventive suspension would allow the Ombudsman to secure all documents and other evidence relating, but not limited to, the sale of rice buffer stocks that is greatly disadvantageous to government,” he said.
Laurel said he will take over as NFA administrator while those second-in-command to several dozen suspended officials will temporarily take charge to avoid service disruptions. “I will be in charge and it will be business as usual at the NFA. We cannot, even in the face of this investigation, allow our fellow Filipinos to be deprived of the government services they deserve,” he stressed.
The officers-in-charge, Laurel said, are also ordered to cooperate fully with the Office of the Ombudsman and DA’s own internal investigators and provide all documents needed to quickly conclude the probe and bring the corrupt before the bar of justice.
The mass suspension, the agri chief said, should be viewed as a “stern warning” to those seeking to test the resolve of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to cleanse government agencies, particularly the DA, whose primarily stakeholders are millions of poor farmers and fisherfolk.
“We intend to dig deep and welcome those who would come forward to assist us in probing the NFA,” said Laurel. “The Ombudsman and the Department of Agriculture are coordinating in this investigation that could go back years, at least as far back as 2019,” he added.
Laurel did not detail the Ombudsman investigation. “Rest assured that once we have results, we will immediately inform the public,” he said.
