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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Ombudsman lifts preventive suspension vs 72 NFA warehouse supervisors

Ombudsman lifts preventive suspension vs 72 NFA warehouse supervisors

Published May 14, 2024 03:24 am

The Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) has lifted the preventive suspension order earlier issued against 72 National Food Authority (NFA) warehouse supervisors who were reportedly involved in the low-priced sale of rice buffer stocks without the conduct of public bidding and prior approval by the NFA council.

The OMB did not identify the personnel whose suspensions were lifted. However, it said that they are warehouse supervisors in the National Capital Region (NCR), Iloilo, Antique, and Cabanatuan City.

Last March 1, the OMB issued six-month preventive suspension against 139 officials and employees of the NFA, including Administrator Roderico Bioco and Assistant Administrator for Operations John Robert Hermano. The 72 warehouse supervisors were among those preventively suspended.

The OMB said the main purpose of the preventive suspension is to prevent any prejudice which may be caused by their continued stay in office while state prosecutors conduct an investigation. 

However, the OMB said: "A closer evaluation of the case record, subsequent/additional compliances made to and pleadings submitted to office reveal that the documents/evidence pertaining to this case, which all of the afore-named warehouse supervisors from Region III, Region IV-A, MIMAROPA, Region V, Region VI, Region VII, Region IX, Region X, Region XII, Region XIII, and BARMM have control and custody, were already obtained by this office."

"Moreover, there is insufficient ground to believe that their continued stay in office may prejudice the investigation of the case filed against them. Thus, the continued preventive suspension of the afore-named warehouse supervisors is no longer necessary," it said.

The 23-page order that lifted the suspension of the warehouse supervisors was signed last May 13 by Special Prosecutor and Officer-in-Charge Edilberto G. Sandoval.

Earlier, Ombudsman Samuel R. Martires had lifted the preventive suspension issued against 23 NFA personnel after admitting that they dealt with faulty data.

Martires said during an interview with Dobol B TV that they were given a list filled with mistakes, and he suggested someone might have tried to fool their office.

When they asked the NFA about the list given to them, the NFA explained that they thought they were being asked about the members of the task force for El Niño. Martires wondered why, if the list was indeed for the task force for El Niño, did the NFA provide names of personnel who have already passed away.

 

Related Tags

WAREHOUSE rice buffer stock National Food Authority Ombudsman Samuel Martires Suspension order Ombudsman
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