6 months suspension meted to 139 NFA officials and employees

The preventive suspension against the 139 officials and employees of the National Food Authority for the sale of rice buffer stock by the Ombudsman was implemented by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. on March 4.

Preventively suspended for six (6) months are NFA Administrator Roderico Bioco and assistant administrator for operation John Robert Hermano, 12 regional managers, 27 branch managers and 98 warehouse supervisors all over the country.

During the period of suspension Tiu Laurel will act as the administrator and issued an unnumbered Memorandum on March 4 clarifying the designation of unsuspended employees to assume in a temporary capacity while the suspension is in effect.

In case the Regional Manager is suspended the assistant regional manager is designated officer in-charge. If the assistant regional manager is also suspended along with the regional manager the branch manager at the regional seat will be the officer in-charge and/or the regional section chief based on the hierarchy of position.

If the brach manager is suspended the assistant branch manager or the supervising grains officer is designated as the officer in-charge and/or the branch section chief base on the hierarchy of position.

Information received by Bicol Express. News revealed that in Bicol the Regional Manager and most of the Branch Manager and warehouse supervisors were preventively suspended for 6 months.

The officer in-charged were ordered to fully cooperate with the Ombudsman in the release of documents related to the investigation and with departments own internal investigation.