DA asec, 4 others suspended amid onion probe

MANILA, Philippines — Ombudsman Samuel Martires has ordered the preventive suspension pending investigation of five officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) over alleged irregularities in the procurement of onions later sold at Kadiwa stores.

Suspended pending the results of the investigation are DA Assistant Secretary Kristine Evangelista, DA administrative officer Eunice Biblanias, DA officer-in-charge chief accountant Lolita Jamela, FTI vice president for operations John Gabriel Benedict Trinidad III and FTI budget division head Juanita Lualhati.

In a four-page order dated Aug. 1, Martires said the respondents are being charged with grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of service “in connection with the shortage of supply of onions in the Philippine markets, its price manipulation and the questionable procurement of onions by FTI from Bonena Multi-Purpose Cooperative.”

Specifically, he noted that violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act in relation to the Procurement Act were allegedly committed when the DA entered into a memorandum of agreement with the FTI for the procurement of onions for the Kadiwa Food Hub project.

FTI, in turn, entered into a letter of agreement with Bonena Multi-Purpose Cooperative for the delivery of 8,845 bags (about 247 metric tons) of onions.

Among alleged violations were the lack of parameters in the selection of cooperative that will supply and deliver the onions, questionable advance payment of 50 percent of the contract price, non-compliance of the memorandum of agreement, partial implementation of the contract and doubtful deliveries by the cooperative, according to Martires.

“It appears that the evidence of guilt of respondents Evangelista, Biblanias, Jamela, Trinidad III and Lualhati is strong and the charges against them involve grave misconduct and gross neglect of duty which may warrant their removal from the service,” the ombudsman’s order stated.

“Considering further that respondents’ continued stay in the office may influence potential witnesses and may prejudice the case filed against them due to their continued access to documentary evidence relative thereto, this office exercises its power to place respondents under preventive suspension,” it added.

The five officials have been placed under preventive suspension without pay for the duration of the proceedings, but not exceeding six months.

“When the delay in the disposition of the case by this office is due to the fault, negligence or petition of the respondents, the period of such delay shall not be counted in computing the period of suspension,” Martires said.

Based on the order, DA Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban and FTI president and chief executive officer Robert Tan – the signatories of the memorandum of agreement – were also included in the complaint, but they are not among those ordered suspended.

The DA and FTI have yet to issue statements regarding the preventive suspension of the five officials.