The Office of the Ombudsman lifted its suspension order against 23 National Food Authority (NFA) personnel after they were cleared of any involvement in the alleged irregular sale of rice buffer stocks to favored private traders.
Ombudsman Samuel Martires disclosed in a radio interview Friday that erroneous data was in the list provided to them by the Department of Agriculture, which the NFA submitted based on the results of their initial investigation.
“If there were some mistakes on the list, that’s not our fault. I did not know who [was] trying to fool us,” Martires told radio DZBB.
“After conducting [an] initial investigation, the recommendation of our investigators is to lift the preventive suspension of warehouse supervisors in Iloilo, Antique, Cabanatuan and the National Capital Region. [There] are 23 of them,” he added.
Meanwhile, a party-list member of the House of Representatives calledfor the swift and impartial resolution of the ongoing investigation on the NFA.
AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee made the statement after the Ombudsman also suspended Piolito Santos, who was appointed acting NFA administrator last week, and Jonathan Yazon, acting department manager for operation and coordination of the rice agency.
Martires said the Ombudsman is conducting a probe as to who is behind the incorrect list.
Several suspended personnel filed a motion to lift their suspension, but the Ombudsman clarified it had nothing to do with the 23 cleared employees.
Before the lifting of the six-month preventive suspension on the 23 personnel, the Ombudsman had already cleared charges against one NFA employee as well.
Martires said the NFA provided the Ombudsman a list of the El Niño task force members and not the list he was requiring.
“Our question is, if it is the task force’s list, why include deceased employees? What is its purpose? Are you fooling the agriculture secretary?” he asked.
The Ombudsman suspended 139 NFA officials and personnel, including administrator Roderico Bioco and acting assistant administrator foroperations John Robert Hermano, for the sale of rice buffer stocks toselected traders from March 4. The suspension is effective for 90 days.
In Congress, Lee said: “The suspension order issued by the Ombudsmanto two other NFA officials is a welcome development. It should be a quick and fair investigation and find out the truth about this anomaly in the agency.”
“We want those who are responsible to be held accountable immediately, and to make sure that the innocent employees can return to work immediately, especially since the psychological impact of thiscontroversy on their families is sure to be huge,” he added.
Lee earlier urged President Marcos to purge the NFA of corrupt officials to restore the public’s trust in the agency.
He reiterated that the agency’s operations must not be hindered, especially in easing the burden of local farmers who continue to suffer the detrimental effects of El Niño.
Lee filed House Resolution 1625, which aims to identify any gaps or loopholes in the existing policies of the NFA and determine what legislation is necessary to ensure the agency’s optimal utilization of goods and proper disposal methods.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Wrongful list gets 23 NFA employees off the hook in rice controversy—Ombudsman.”