NBI seizes NFA rice in Tondo

The joint team of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the National Food Authority (NFA) Anti-Rice Hoarding Task Force has intercepted in Tondo, Manila, last Monday night two trucks containing 400 sacks of cheap NFA rice that will allegedly be sold as more expensive commercial rice.

The NBI said four accredited NFA rice retailers are now being investigated for their alleged involvement in the diversion of cheap NFA rice, which was supposed to be sold through the “Bigasan ni Gloria” program of the government, but was allegedly being sold as commercial rice.

NFA rice are sold for P18.50 per kilo while prices of commercial rice ranges from P30 to P50 per kilo.

The NBI said the NFA rice retailers summoned by the NFA for questioning as Maricel Gatus, of Happy Land, Tondo, Manila; Reynaldo Petran, of Katuparan, Tondo; Ricardo Anorico, of Talipapa, Tondo; and Miguel dela Paz, of G. Perfecto, Talipapa, Tondo.

The NFA ordered the rice traders to explain why the 400 sacks of NFA rice were found at a parking lot in Tondo instead of the “Bigasan ni Gloria” outlets.

The four traders were given a June 20 deadline to give their explanation to NFA authorities.

The NBI had earlier received information that NFA rice at a warehouse in Novaliches, Quezon City, were being diverted for commercial trading, which led to the surveillance operation conducted by bureau agents.

NBI operatives said that last Monday, two Elf mini trucks with license plates XAB-312 and XFN-388 repectively, left the NFA warehouse in Novaliches at around 3:30 p.m. to deliver the rice to the Bigasan ni Gloria outlets in Manila.

However, the two trucks earlier parked along C-3 Road in Port Area, Manila, then parked besides a warehouse along Herbosa St. in Tondo, Manila.

NBI agents intercepted the two trucks at around 8 p.m. before the NFA rice were transferred to another truck for diversion.

The unidentified drivers were not arrested, but were questioned by the NBI.

The seized NFA rice was brought back to the NFA warehouse in Novaliches, the NBI said.

The NBI said the modus operandi of those involved in the diversion of NFA rice was that they would travel late from the NFA warehouse, and park in an area before transferring the rice to another truck for diversion.

It was also learned that drivers were also told to say, if caught by authorities, that it was already late to deliver the rice and had to wait for the next day.

NBI also learned that the Elf trucks were owned by a Danilo Gatus, an alleged relative of Maricel Gatus, one of the NFA rice retailers now being investigated.

Some NFA personnel, including those who escorted the trucks and the workers in the NFA warehouse in Novaliches are also being investigated.