THE Office of the Ombudsman has found probable cause to charge former Agriculture secretary Proceso Alcala and 23 others for having violated the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act during the garlic supply controversy of 2014.
Included in the indictment are Bureau of Plant Industry Director Clarito Barron, BPI division chiefs Merle Palacpac and Luben Marasigan, and garlic traders Lilia “Lea” Cruz, Edmond Caguinguin, Rolan Galvez, Rochelle Diaz, Ma. Jackilou Ilagan, Jon Dino de Vera, Napoleon Baldueza, Jose Ollegue, Laila Matabang, Angelita Flores, Gaudioso Diato, Denia Matabang, Jose Angulo Jr., Raffy Torres, Mary Grace Sebastian, Renato Francisco, Rolando Manangan, Orestes Salon, Prudencio Ruedas and Shiela Marry dela Cruz.
The Ombudsman also barred Alcala from government service after finding him guilty of grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service over the alleged misuse of P13.5 million in funding from the Agri-Pinoy Trading Center program.
In a resolution dated April 20, the Ombudsman said Alcala would be charged with violating Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Investigators uncovered that 8,810 import permits were issued between 2010 and 2014, approved by Alcala, Barron, Palacpac, and Marasigan despite an existing suspension order, the Ombusdman’s office said Tuesday.
Importers and affiliates of the Vendors Association of the Philippines Inc. chaired by Cruz bagged 5,022 of the permits issued.
“Records show that on 24 July 2013, Alcala designated Cruz as chairperson of the National Garlic Action Team serving as the DA’s consultative body on policies and concerns of the garlic production and supply program,” the Ombudsman said.
“At the same time, Cruz acted as representative of the garlic importers, assisting them in the processing of applications and issuance of IPs,” it said.
On Aug. 22, 2013, NGAT issued a resolution suspending the issuance of IPs on the premise that garlic supply was sufficient to last until the next harvest season in March 2014.
The team issued another resolution on Nov. 5, 2013 declaring the supply of garlic in the country as insufficient as of Oct. 25.
It recommended the importation of 58,240 metric tons of garlic through the issuance of IPs, 70 percent of which would be allocated to farmer cooperatives and 30 percent to legitimate garlic importers.
But the Ombudsman claimed in its resolution the allocation of the garlic supply “was actually a scheme designated for Cruz to control the garlic importation” and “enabled VIEVA to monopolize the garlic supply, allowing it to dictate its market prices.”
“It bears emphasis that after Cruz established VIEVA, she caused the affiliation of farmer cooperatives and associations under its umbrella on the pretext of helping them financially. By adopting the scheme, Cruz practically controlled a big chunk of the 100 percent of the IPs for imported garlic,” the Ombudsman said.
“The 30 percent of the IPs supposedly allocated to legitimate garlic importers was given mostly to VIEVA and its affiliated importers. On the other hand, the 70 percent of IP allocation for the farmer cooperatives was mainly captured by Cruz through VIEVA-affiliated farmer groups,” it added.
The Ombudsman noted an “extraordinary and alarming spike” in the prices of imported and locally produced garlic from January to July 2014, especially in the month of June.
The anti-graft body said the price of imported garlic during the seven-month period soared between P260 and P400 per kilogram from an average of P165 to P170 per kg in 2010 to 2014.
The price of native garlic, meanwhile, ranged from P250 to P400 per kg from April to June 2014.
In a related administrative case, the Ombudsman found Barron, Palacpac and Marasigan guilty of grave misconduct and were perpetually barred from holding public office.
“It is but reasonable to expect that respondents perform the duties accorded them efficiently and honestly. It is for this reason that this office is mandated by law to ensure that public office should deserve public trust and to hold erring officials and employees liable and impose appropriate penalty should they fail on this duty,” the Ombudsman said.