Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa (PNA file photo)
MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) said Wednesday it will look at the viability of having an independent laboratory for the rice quality analysis of the National Food Authority (NFA).
In a radio interview, Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. is considering the matter to allay concerns over the agency's quality assurance procedures.
De Mesa said this idea shall be included in the discussions in the next NFA council meeting on Monday.
"Tingnan po natin, of course, may mga procedure na sinusunod ang ating NFA council sa ganitong proseso (We will look into it, of course, procedures are being subjected to by the NFA council)," he added.
The DA disclosed such consideration following remarks of Senator Raffy Tulfo on the alleged irregularities in the quality assurance procedures of the NFA rice sale.
Tulfo said some NFA officials ordered their quality assurance officers to declare the good inventory to be in a deteriorating or aging condition so it can be offered at a lower price to select traders while not meeting the supply requests of some local government units.
Withheld disposition
Tulfo, meanwhile, said around 150,000 bags of NFA rice were sold to select traders without bidding.
Of the number, around 88,000 bags were not yet withdrawn from the most recent transaction, according to the DA.
This means the purchased supplies are still in the NFA warehouses.
"Ang nabanggit ni OIC Pio ([then] officer-in-charge Piolito Santos) na prudence dictates na hindi dapat ilabas iyon (What OIC Pio has said is that prudence dictates that it should not be disposed)," de Mesa said.
Besides withholding the disposition of the said purchased volume, the transaction may also be canceled.
"Dahil under investigation na ito ay may posibilidad na isauli na lang ang pera (Because it's under investigation, there's a possibility to just return their money)," he added.
De Mesa also insisted that the NFA, as a government entity, remains bound by procurement rules and regulations, which include auction or bidding.
He said the DA chief is looking at putting a permanent administrator at the helm of the food body amid the ongoing probe.
"Mayroon na pong inirekomenda si Secretary Tiu Laurel na magiging administrator. So nasa ongoing review pa (Secretary Tiu Laurel has already recommended someone to be the administrator. So it's still under ongoing review)," he said.
To date, Laurel has reassumed function as the NFA's caretaker, following the preventive suspension of newly designated NFA officer-in-charge Piolito Santos and the Department Manager for Operation and Coordination Jonathan Yazon, shortly after the suspension of other 139 NFA officials and employees.
He also assigned Director IV Larry Lacson as the officer-in-charge deputy administrator. (PNA)
