The Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) called on Ombudsman Samuel Martires to identify corrupt officials within the National Food Authority (NFA) who are implicated in irregularities and are under investigation or prosecution for graft and corruption allegations.
“We strongly urge Ombudsman Martires to unveil the identities of the Department of Agriculture officials, including those at the graft-ridden NFA, both past and present, who have been involved in graft and corruption at the agency, in the interest of public transparency,” said SINAG president Rosendo So in an interview.
So, who also serves as chairman of SINAG, appealed to the Ombudsman to expedite investigations into the graft complaints lodged against NFA officials.
These officials were allegedly involved in the irregular sale of NFA rice to the private sector at significantly reduced prices, which defrauded the government of millions of pesos in revenues and provided undue advantages to certain private rice traders.
He said the public has a right to know the status of the graft charges filed against NFA officials involved in the agency’s anomalies.
“We are asking the Ombudsman to inform us about the progress of the case against the former NFA administrator and other officials,” So said.
So referred to the graft case involving 139 NFA officials and employees, including a former administrator, who were charged with graft for the alleged irregular sale of 75,000 bags of rice stored in agency warehouses to private traders.
The Ombudsman already lifted the preventive suspension order against more than 100 NFA officials and employees, including the 23 warehouse supervisors after obtaining documents from them.
The anti-graft body clarified that NFA officials, whose preventive suspension have been lifted, are still included as respondents in the administrative case.
So said that under Republic Act 11203, also known as the Rice Tariffication Law, the NFA is required to procure approximately 300,000 tons of rice annually from local farmers to maintain a buffer stock for distribution during calamities and emergencies.
NFA assistant administrator for operations Lemuel Pagayunan, in a complaint letter submitted to the Office of the President in February 2024, alleged that the former administrator and other NFA officials sold 75,000 bags of rice valued at P93.75 million to G4 Rice Mill San Miguel Corp. and NBK San Pedro Rice Mill without the approval of the NFA Council.
Pagayunan claimed that the former administrator sold the NFA’s supposedly “deteriorating or aging stocks” to G4 Rice Mill and NBK San Pedro Rice Mill, despite the rice reportedly being fit for consumption.
“So we are inquiring with the Ombudsman about the progress of this case since it involves public interest,” he said.
A recent hearing of the House Committee on Agriculture revealed that the buffer stock was sold for only P25 per kilogram, while the prevailing market price at the time was P70 per kg.
Pagayunan said a memorandum issued in 2023 directed that the stocks be repackaged without NFA markings before being sold as commercial rice.
“The Ombudsman must resolve these cases without delay. If no one is prosecuted before the Sandiganbayan, then those involved in such anomalies will not be deterred,” So said.
