Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco “Kiko” Tiu Laurel said he will create an intelligence group that will be tasked to fight corruption in the department.
“I will be creating my own intelligence group… Well, one of the directives of the President is if may dumi diyan (if there is dirt), bring it up,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco “Kiko” Tiu Laurel said when asked how he will address corruption in the agency.
He said that he would also wage war against agricultural smugglers and hoarders who are the enemies of farmers and consumers.
“Well, that is one of the prime directives of the President to continue ‘yung (the) anti-smuggling and anti-hoarding campaign ng (of the) DA,” the secretary said.
President Marcos has earlier urged the public to help the government in battling rice smugglers and hoarders as they are the ones disrupting the market’s flow of supply and demand for the country’s primary staple.
In the past few months, several officials of the agriculture department have been suspended while put under probe over alleged corruption.
The DA’s P140-million procurement of onions in 2022 from Bonena Multipurpose Cooperative is currently under investigation.
In August, Ombudsman Samuel R. Martires ordered the preventive suspension of five officials of the agriculture department over alleged irregularities in the procurement of onions. They were charged with “grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of service.”