ACT-CIS Party-list Representative Erwin Tulfo on Friday called out the National Food Authority regarding reports of unauthorized selling of rice buffer stock to certain private traders.

“Ayon dito sa Section 5 ng 2014 MSA code of corporate governance and revised standard operating procedure on sale of NFA commodities through market-determined prices, P25 ang benta nila eh hereby kailangan may bidding (According to Section 5 of the 2014 MSA code of corporate governance and revised standard operating procedure on the sale of NFA commodities through market-determined prices, their sale is P25, hereby a bidding is required),” he said in a radio interview, stressing that the agency’s discretion in rice selling is therefore against the law.

He further questioned why there were only two rice traders who benefited from the alleged anomalous rice sale.

“Yung House nung October [at] Novmeber, naghahagilap tayo ng stocks ng bigas. Meron pala sila, bakit hindi sila nagsalita na ‘House Speaker, meron kaming stock dito na 75,000 bags' para kahit papaano makatulong sa mga kababayan natin (The House in October [and] November was looking for rice stocks. They have it, why didn't they say, 'House Speaker, we have a stock here of 75,000 bags to somehow help our countrymen)," he said, adding that during these times, rice was sold in markets at prices ranging from P60 to P65 per kilo.

“Kung hindi pa kumilos ang Malacañang at nagkaroon ng rice price cap, hindi bababa yung presyo ng bigas (If Malacañang has not acted and implemented a rice price cap, the price of rice will not decrease).”

He added: “Pangalawa, sinadya talaga nila kasi may sulat ang DSWD [Department of Social Welfare and Development] na nagre-request sila ng bigas. Tinanggihan nila. Ang sabi nila, wala raw silang stock. Akalain mo yan, talagang malinaw pa sa sikat ng araw na merong manuever na gusto talaga nilang itago dahil gagawin nilang secret at maibenta nila para kumita (Second, they really did it on purpose because the DSWD [Department of Social Welfare and Development] had a letter requesting rice. They refused. They said they don't have stock. Can you imagine that? It is really clearer than the sunlight that there is a maneuver that they really want to hide because they will make it a secret and sell it to make a profit).”

Tulfo went on to say that based on reports, the rice bought from the NFA is transferred to another sack to avoid being identified with the agency, and will be sold for between P50 and P60.

“Tiba-tiba at kikita yung trader at syempre yung mga taga NFA (The trader and, of course, the people from NFA will make money),” he stressed.

Moreover, the lawmaker clarified that the 75,000 bags of rice mentioned were only in one region.

“We are just talking of the NCR [National Capital Region], eh may Region 3 pa, may Region 4 at mga ibang regions. Ito pala yung nakakalkal, yung 75,000 (We are just talking of the NCR [National Capital Region], well there is Region 3, there is Region 4, and other regions. This is the one that was dug out, the 75,000).”

NFA suspended officials went ‘on leave'

Ombudsman Samuel Martires said that some NFA officials and employees who were preventively suspended have taken leaves from work following the probe of the alleged ‘disadvantageous’ rice sales by the agency.

He said that the six-month preventive suspension is without a salary, and reports of preventively suspended NFA officials going on leave reached his office.

“They cannot take leave during the period of preventive suspension, or someone is said to have taken leave prior to the receipt of the preventive suspension,” said Martires, adding that he would sign a letter to the NFA human resources manager regarding the situation.

“If there is an official included in the preventive suspension with prior leave, approved leave, that leave is deemed to have been terminated upon receipt of the preventive suspension,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Ombudsman said that the preventive suspension of some of the NFA officials may be lifted once it is proven that they have no involvement in the reported improper rice sale.