The Office of the Ombudsman has retracted the six-month preventive suspension of 23 out of the 141 National Food Authority (NFA) officials and employees allegedly involved in the controversial cheap rice sale.
Ombudsman Samuel Martires confirmed the information to DZRH News.
According to Martires, the suspension of 23 supervisors deployed in NFA's warehouses in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and Western Visayas was withdrawn upon investigators' recommendation. The warehouse supervisors have been directed to return to their work.
The Ombudsman also confirmed that an NFA official named Harold Cuartero was removed from the suspended list as he was not involved in the controversy.
JUST IN: Suspension order ng Ombudsman sa 23 na 141 NFA officials, binawi na | DZRH News pic.twitter.com/fjHyHvpBR6
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) March 15, 2024
Meanwhile, a document obtained by RH Val Gonzales showed that a deceased NFA official is part of the suspended list. The death certificate of Ghazali Palawan, a grains operations officer in NFA Region IX, reportedly showed that he died on July 7, 2022, due to a "cerebrovascular bleed."
Two other NFA officials included in the suspended list had retired on August 1, 2023. They were identified as Noel Adao, a senior grains operations officer in the NFA NCR - East District Office, and Ariel Guevarra, a senior grains operations officer in the NFA NCR - North District Office.
The remaining suspended NFA officials and employees reportedly filed a motion of reconsideration asking the Ombudsman to retract the suspension order.
