(Eagle News)–The Department of Agriculture is conducting a probe into the alleged improper sale of rice by the National Food Authority (NFA) to select traders.
Agriculture spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel has also already called on NFA Administrator Roderico Bioco and Assistant Administrator for Operations Lemuel Pagayunan to take a leave of absence to ensure a fair investigation.
“Ongoing na iyong investigation nagre-review na ng mga documents iyong panel of investigator at marami na rin na-conduct na interview and we’re expecting very soon ay mayroon ng updates dito sa nangyayaring investigation,” De Mesa said.
While no deadline was given for the results of the probe, he said these could be expected “very soon.”
Earlier, Pagayunan wrote to the Office of the President and questioned the sale of rice stocks worth P93.75 million to grain traders reportedly without the mandated bidding process and authorized by Bioco.
Bioco, for his part, said that it was legal to sell old rice stocks under a price schedule that was given the go-signal by the NFA Council.
On March 1, Senator Cynthia Villar said that the Senate would conduct its probe.