File photo of the Office of the Ombudsman. Philippine Daily Inquirer / NI脩O JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� The Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) has urged the Office of the Ombudsman to expedite the filing of cases against former and current officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the National Food Authority (NFA)聽involved in irregularities in the rice industry.
In a press release on Sunday, President Rosendo So called on Ombudsman Samuel Martires to speed up the investigation process and reveal the identities of those involved.
鈥淲e 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,鈥� So said.
鈥淲e are asking the Ombudsman to inform us about the progress of the case against the former NFA administrator and other officials,鈥� he also said.
READ: NFA chief faces graft raps for diversion of rice funds
In February 2024, NFA Assistant Administrator for Operations Lemuel Pagayunan submitted a complaint letter to the Office of the President alleging that former NFA administrator Roderico Bioco and other officials sold 75,000 bags of rice to the private sector, which may have defrauded the government of millions in revenue.
A preventive suspension聽had been ordered by the Ombudsman the following month against 139 NFA officials, including Bioco, amid an ongoing investigation into the alleged disadvantageous sale of rice buffer stocks.
The order against more than 100 NFA officials and employees has already been lifted, but the anti-graft body said they are still included as respondents in the case.
Furthermore, So is seeking updates from the Ombudsman on other cases filed against former NFA officials who have engaged in similar irregularities with the anti-graft body.
鈥淭here was also another case involving a different administrator who purchased palay and subsequently authorized rice imports. We want to know what has happened with these other cases,鈥� So said.
鈥淭he 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,鈥� he lamented.