Citizenship issue hounds NFA amid rice controversy
DAVAO CITY—Amid the ongoing debate over whether or not the government can meet its rice-sufficiency targets despite continuing reports of shortage and price increases, the agency that is at the center of the rice situation is now under scrutiny over an issue that critics said could be key to why the country’s rice-production programs seem to falter—the citizenship of the agency’s highest official.
Several groups pounced on reports that Orlan Calayag, the administrator of the National Food Authority (NFA), is actually a dual citizen, a violation of the NFA charter that required its administrator to be a natural-born Filipino.
Lawyer Argee Guevarra, a leader of the militant group Sanlakas, said Calayag’s qualifications as NFA chief are now in question following revelations that Calayag is not a natural-born Filipino.
According to documents that leaked out to media, Calayag reacquired his Filipino citizenship only on Jan. 7 this year.
Guevarra said questions about Calayag’s qualifications do not end with his citizenship, but whether or not he is a natural-born Filipino is basic to the NFA position.
In a statement, Guevarra called on President Aquino to consider removing Calayag from his post.
Reports said Calayag returned to the country in December 2012 using an American passport.
While his dual citizenship is in effect, Calayag cannot hold a position in the government or run in any public office, according to some legal experts.
For an appointee or candidate to be qualified, Calayag should show proof that he has already renounced his American citizenship before he was appointed in January this year, said Guevarra.
In a statement sent to Inquirer, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate said the appointment of an official with dual citizenship to the NFA adds to the many “sins of commission and omission” of the agriculture department, which should shame top department officials into resigning.
The uproar over Calayag’s appointment as national food czar started as early as January when it was confirmed that he also possesses an American passport but his reported closeness to Alcala made him cling to his post.
“To borrow the words of President Aquino, where could agriculture officials be getting their gall to put a food czar that is an American citizen?” said Zarate.
Zarate said the circumstances of Calayag’s appointment is tainted with “anomalies,” including his being an American citizen, and failure “to undergo the vetting process mandated by Republic Act No. 10149, otherwise known as the GOCC Governance Act of 2011.”
“Calayag’s appointment is just another addition to the string of anomalies that attended the DA (Department of Agriculture) headed by Alcala. Farmers’ organizations have also recently called for his resignation for allowing DA as a conduit of bogus Napoles NGOs (nongovernment organizations) in the pork barrel scandal,” he said. Allan Nawal, Inquirer Mindanao
