In a press statement Department of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. implemented the preventive suspension order of the Ombudsman againts 139 officials and employees of the food agency for their participation in the anomalous sale of rice buffer stock.
The official suspended are NFA Administrator Roderico Bioco and Assistant Administrator for Operation John Robert Hermano. The sanctioned employees are regional managers and warehouse supervisor in the different regions though all were not named.
Laurel said that he condemn corruption in whatever form and said that those responsible should face the punishment for their deeds.
When the controversy came to light in coordination with the Ombudsman the secretary created a special panel for internal inquiry to determine the culpable official and employees.
With the scandal Laurel is temporarily taking the helm of NFA and urge those not affected to continue their mandate without delay in serving the public.
The suspended administrator filed a leave of absence to give the investigators a freehand in gathering documents and evidences in relation to sale of rice buffer stock considered as disadvantageous to the government. But the probe will not be limited to the rice buffer stock sale since according to Laurel it will dig deeper years back and would welcome any evidence from cooperating entities to clarify the circumstances related to the buffer stock sale.
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