The suspension of National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Acting Administrator Benny Antiporda will not disrupt the agency's operations, particularly the government's food security program, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said.
"No. There are enough people there in the NIA who know what to do," Marcos said when asked if the suspension will affect NIA's operations.
He also revealed that he will actually be meeting with NIA officials after his attendance at the 49th founding anniversary of Career Executive Service Board (CESB) on Tuesday, Nov. 22.
"In fact, I’m meeting them after this. So, make sure that yung function ng NIA ay tuloy-tuloy (the functions of NIA is uninterrupted)," he said.
The President further said that he has to "find out what happened" as the suspension happened when he was away.
"We have to find out what happened to Benny and see what really is the situation there, why Ombudsman (Samuel) Martires suspended him. So it happened all when I was away. So I have asked them to give me the background on what happened," he said.
"But the function of the NIA is – does not – is not going to change," he assured.
The Office of the Ombudsman ordered a six-month suspension over Antiporda due to complaints of alleged grave misconduct.