The Office of the Ombudsman has imposed a six-month preventive suspension against officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) over alleged anomalies in the procurement of onion for Kadiwa Food Hub Project.
In a four-page order of preventive suspension signed by Ombudsman Samuel Martines, the three DA officials were identified as DA spokesperson Kristine Evangelista, DA Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban, DA Administrative Officer Eunice Biblaias, and DA officer-in-charge Chief Accountant Lolita Jamela.
Meanwhile, the FTI officials were named as:
- FTI President and Chief Executive Officer Robert Tan
- FTI Vice President for Operations John Gabrial Benedict Trinidad III
- FTI Budge Division head Juanita Lualhati
"Respondents are being charged of grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service in connection with the shortage of supply of onions in the Philippine markets, it price manipulation and the questionable procurement by the FTI from Bonena Multi-Purpose Cooperative (Bonena)," the Ombudsman stated.
The Office said based on the records from the agriculture department, the aforementioned respondents violated Republic Act (RA) No. 3019 and RA. 9184 for:
- lack of parameters in the selection of cooperative that will supply and deliver the onions
- the questionable advance of 50% percent of the contract price
- non-compliance of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)
- partial implementation of the contract and doubtful deliveries of Bonena
The Ombudsman further said the charges against Evangelista, Biblanias, Jamela, Trinidad III, and Lualhati may warrant their dismissal from their post.
"Considering further that respondents continued to stay in the office may influence potential witnesses and may prejudice the case filed against them due to their continued access to documentary evidence relative thereto," it furthered.
