MANILA – The National Food Authority (NFA) on Wednesday said it is expediting administrative procedures against employees allegedly involved in simple or grave misconduct to ensure the agency's uninterrupted operations.
This follows the agency’s ongoing internal audit, which has so far resulted in the preventive suspension of 25 employees, the filing of 32 administrative cases, and the issuance of 54 show-cause orders since NFA Administrator Larry Lacson assumed office in March 2024.
Among the questionable activities uncovered in the internal audit were “unauthorized transactions, discrepancies in records, and decline in stocks beyond 2 to 3 percent tolerable levels, among others.”
In a phone interview, Lacson said the move serves as a stern warning against erring employees and unscrupulous traders to prevent illegal practices as the agency pursues its food security reforms.
“Justice delayed is justice denied. So, hangga’t maaari, sa abot ng aming makakaya, gusto nating matapos agad iyan nang makapag-move on sila agad. Kung walang kasalanan, edi go trabaho uli. Kapag may kasalanan, parusahan agad (As much as possible, to the extent of our capacity, we want to finish it quickly so they can immediately move on. If they are not guilty, then they can return to work. Otherwise, they should be punished),” he told the Philippine News Agency.
“Ang dami kasing trabaho na dapat pagtuunan ng pansin—inaayos natin sa National Food Authority. And we don’t want na maantala (We have a lot of work to focus on—reforms we are implementing in the NFA. And we don’t want these to be hampered),” he added.
Lacson said the 25 suspended employees include branch managers, assistant branch managers, warehouse supervisors, and staff in several NFA warehouses across Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, and Western Visayas.
Some have already completed a three-month suspension, while others remain under preventive suspension pending investigation, he said.
“So, tinitingnan nating mabuti para naman maging fair sa mga matitino at mahusay na kawani ng NFA, (dahil) pati sila nadadamay (We are carefully reviewing this to be fair to our competent and hardworking NFA employees, because they are also being dragged into the issue),” Lacson added, emphasizing that good-performing employees far outnumber the erring ones.
He further warned that the agency is ready to pursue criminal charges against those found liable for grave offenses.
Lacson, however, assured that the NFA remained focused on supporting local farmers through its continuous palay procurement, as well as the sale of cheaper rice under the “Benteng Bigas Meron (BBM) Na” program through the Food Terminal Inc.
To date, six cases remain under investigation by the NFA’s legal division. (PNA)