At least 139 National Food Authority (NFA) officials and employees were preventively suspended over their alleged involvement in the controversial rice scam, Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. announced on Monday, March 4.
In a press statement obtained by DZRH News, Laurel said suspension was slapped to NFA Administrator Rod Bioco, Assistant Administrator for Operations John Robert Hermano, and regional managers and warehouse supervisors, whose names were not disclosed.
"The preventive suspension will allow the Ombudsman to secure all the documents and other evidence relating, but not limited, to the sale of rice buffer stocks that is greatly disadvantageous to the government," he said.
According to Laurel, investigators from the Ombudsman and the agriculture department will probe "as far as 2019 at least" and they welcome any necessary information to assist them "in cleansing the NFA."
The agriculture secretary said he will now serve as NFA administrator "to avoid any delays in the services and projects in the agency."
Last week, Laurel directer DA's panel of investigators to verify reports that NFA sold milled rice for P25 per kilogram, which was deemed “disadvantageous” to the government. The said milled rice was also sold to traders without public bidding.
In an interview with DZRH last week, the now-suspended NFA administrator stressed that no personal interest was involved in the sale of rice buffer stocks.
He welcomed the investigation, saying they are ready to answer all inquiries "to straighten the matter."
