MANILA – Sen. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV urged the government to investigate allegations hurled against National Food Authority (NFA) administrator Jason Aquino.
“What about the corruption allegations surrounding NFA administrator Jason Aquino?” Sen. Aquino asked.
The lawmaker maintained that the NFA official cannot be trusted to import thousands of metric tons of rice.
“Dahil sa kanyang kapalpakan, tumaas ang presyo ng bigas at nadagdagan ang pasan ng pamilyang Pilipino,” the senator said.
Sen. Aquino earlier called for the resignation of the NFA administrator.
“Ano na ba ang nangyari sa mga alegasyon laban sa pamunuan ng NFA? Ngayong may dumating na bigas, baka maulit lang ang nangyari at maubos na naman agad ang buffer stock sa kamay ng mga traders,” he said.
During a Senate hearing on the rice issue, Jason admitted that the NFA failed to comply with the required 15-day buffer stock since last year.
This, according to Sen. Aquino, caused rice prices to go up, burdening poor Filipino families further.
“Nangyari ito dahil sa kapabayaan ng NFA sa kanilang tungkulin, at hindi dahil sa NFA Council,” said Sen. Aquino.
The removal of Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr. from the NFA Council, he added, was “unnecessary” and made the agency “even more prone to corruption and impunity.”
“Bakit sinisisi si Evasco na ang tanging gusto lang ay hindi mahaluan ng katiwalian ang proseso ng pag-aangkat ng bigas,” the senator said./PN
