By Stephanie Sevillano
MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday said it has been working closely with the Office of the Ombudsman amid the ongoing probe into alleged corruption within the National Food Authority (NFA).
“I can confidently say that since I assumed office, we have worked tirelessly to clean our ranks. We have been fully cooperative with the Ombudsman. And this has been attested to in its ongoing investigations into alleged corruption within the DA,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a statement.
Tiu Laurel made the remark after Ombudsman Samuel Martires clarified his statement on the “most corrupt government agency” purportedly referring to the DA-NFA, saying his words were “taken out of context.”
Tiu Laurel highlighted the DA’s “commitment to integrity” as he recalled his order to enforce the Ombudsman’s issuance of preventive suspension order against 139 NFA officials and employees in early 2024; appointed NFA Administrator Larry Lacson as replacement; replaced senior officials; and ensured the resumption of NFA operations despite the disruption in warehouse and offices across the country.
The said move was done to ensure a fair and proper probe into their alleged involvement for illegal sale of rice buffer stocks.
Moreover, majority of the suspended employees were allowed to return to work.
Lacson, meanwhile, pushed for internal reforms like improving procedures, minimizing unnecessary handling costs, and cutting corruption risks, the DA said.
In terms of the agricultural smuggling crackdown, Tiu Laurel stressed the strengthened efforts of the DA Inspectorate and Enforcement unit and Bureau of Plant Industry, in cooperation with other government agencies.
“We’ve also blacklisted nearly a dozen unscrupulous importers and have filed charges with various prosecutors’ offices within the Department of Justice,” he said.
Various efforts of the DA led to the seizure and apprehension of billions worth of smuggled agricultural products including rice, meat, fish, fruits, and vegetables.
“We will not stand idly by while anyone inside or outside the DA attempts to undermine the law,” Tiu Laurel said.
Besides seizure and apprehensions, the DA also introduced some changes including the Minimum Access Volume for pork to help stabilize prices; and the import suspension of “galunggong” (round scad) to prevent diversion of fish to public markets from institutional buyers. (PNA)
