DA to comply with DOJ directive vs officials

MANILA, Philippines — A ranking official of the Department of Agriculture yesterday vowed that the DA will comply with the directive of the Department of Justice after Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said that graft and corruption charges will be filed against certain officials of the agency in connection with the controversy involving the hoarding and price manipulation on onions in December 2022.

In an interview with The STAR, Agriculture Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Arnel de Mesa gave assurance that DA operations will not be affected in case the officials will be suspended.

“We respect the due process of our legal institution. We are confident that hopefully the truth will come out regarding these allegations,” De Mesa said.

Among those who were identified by Remulla are DA Assistant Secretary Kristine Evangelista, Bureau of Plant Industry Director Gerald Glenn Panganiban and Agriculture Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service officer-in-charge Director Junibert de Sagun.

Ombudsman Samuel Martires has ordered six months preventive suspension of Evangelista over the alleged irregularities in the procurement of onions later sold at Kadiwa stores.

De Mesa said that Agriculture Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban can appoint an officer-in-charge to ensure that the operation of the DA will not be affected in case the concerned officials will be suspended.

“It is an SOP (standard operating procedure) that replacements are made if cases will push through,” De Mesa.

Remulla has said administrative cases will also be filed against the three officials for inefficiency and incompetence over the questionable deal with Bonena Multi-Purpose Cooperative for the delivery of 8,845 bags or 247 metric tons of onions at Kadiwa stores.

Retail prices of onions reached as high as P720 per kilo in December amid the hoarding and manipulation of the bulbs.