Ombudsman Samuel Martires has clarified his earlier remarks about corruption within the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the National Food Authority (NFA), stating that his comments were "taken out of context" and referred to past cases, not the current leadership.

"In fairness to the new leadership of the Department of Agriculture, since the issue of rice and onion smuggling was investigated, the new head of the agency, Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., has strengthened the DA’s Inspectorate and Enforcement Division," Martires said in an interview on DZRH.

"As seen in the news, they’ve already apprehended four cases of agricultural smuggling in Subic."

Proactive leadership under Laurel

Martires also noted the DA’s cooperation under Laurel’s leadership, highlighting their proactive efforts in providing reports and aiding investigations.

"In fairness to them (the DA and NFA), I am not saying they are the most corrupt. No," Martires stated. "When you talk about the most corrupt government agency, you have to consider agencies beyond those located in Quezon Memorial Circle."

Laurel welcomed the Ombudsman’s clarification and reiterated his agency’s commitment to reform, emphasizing that the DA has been working diligently to address corruption within its ranks.

"We have been fully cooperative with the Ombudsman — and this has been attested to — in its ongoing investigations into alleged corruption within the DA," he said.

Under Laurel’s leadership, the DA has ramped up its anti-smuggling operations, resulting in the confiscation of billions of pesos worth of illegal agricultural imports. It has also filed cases against importers violating trade laws and introduced policy measures to curb corruption and stabilize the market.