TIGHT WATCH. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo visits the Department of Justice (DoJ) for the second straight day this week to follow up on the cases against suspected rice hoarders. She says she wants the process to be expedited. After her disappointment over the failure of the anti-rice hoarding task force to criminally charge erring officials of the National Food Authority, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez admits that the President has been hard on the NBI, although the President herself countered that she still thought that the bureau was doing a good job. Video taken by INQUIRER.net reporter Tetch Torres.
ARROYO GETS BRIEFING ON STATUS OF CASES VS RICE HOARDERS. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is briefed by Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez on the progress of the cases against suspected rice hoarders that have been filed at the Department of Justice. Arroyo returned to the DoJ Thursday, her fourth visit to the department, since the government launched a crackdown against rice hoarders. Photo taken by Lira D. Fernandez/INQUIRER.NET
MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE 2) President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has come face to face for the first time with suspected rice hoarders who have been charged before the Department of Justice.
The President witnessed on Thursday the submission of the counter affidavits of the suspects before Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito Zunio.
Bent on seeing the cases against rice hoarders prosper, Arroyo visited the Department of Justice again on Thursday to check their progress.
In a report to the President, the Anti-Hoarding Task Force said it had charged a total of 33 persons involved in 23 cases over the last two months.
Of the 33, 14 have been charged with diversion of NFA rice and submitted for resolution. The remaining 19 will be subpoenaed this May 14 and 21, the task force said.
Among those charged were Anthony Choi Angeles from Laguna; Romeo Mariano Jr. from Baliwag, Bulacan; Eleonor Rodriguez of Metro-Grain Marketing in Valenzuela; Meynardo Guevarra from Las Piñas; Francisco Dio from Baclaran, Parañaque; Arnel Lagonoy from Commonwealth, Quezon City; Mary Ann Mago from Tandang Sora, Quezon City; Geonell Vin Centeno from E. Rodriquez, Quezon City; Delia Barreda from Old Balara, Quezon city; Sofia De Guzman from San Antonio Valley, Las Piñas City; Prestifero Prado from Camarines Sur; Leonides Manalo also from Las Piñas; and Lydia Supremid from Mapandan, Pangasinan.
Gonzalez said the resolution would be issued this week while cases against illegal price manipulation, no record book/grains transaction, violation of the Revised Rules and Regulation on Grains Business (RRRGB) would be filed before the court next week.
"The preliminary investigation is now complete, the next step would be for the panel to resolve the cases based on the complaint as well as the counter-affidavit," he said.
"We will not allow further delay in the process. We expect that the resolution will be finished this week and by next week, cases will be filed in court," Gonzalez said.
Meanwhile, Arroyo, who has shown her irritation about the finger pointing between the DoJ and the National Bureau of Investigation over the alleged erring officials of the National Food Authority (NFA), avoided answering the question on whether she was satisfied with the performance of the DoJ and the NBI.
"Ahhh…Justice Secretary Gonzalez will answer all the questions…I think the NBI has done a good job. I may be hard but you do a good job…Now, the prosecution, we will see how good they are when it goes to court," the President said.
Gonzalez said they would still study the case against the NFA officials.
"We have just received the endorsement from the Department of Agriculture this morning. What has been submitted was the administrative investigation," Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez referred the case to the NBI to determine the criminal liability of the NFA officials.
John Alliage Morales, Contributor
Copyright 2009 INQUIRER.net. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
![Zoom Image](javascript:popwin("http://images.inquirer.net/media/newsinfo/breakingnews/nation/images/pic-05080312050408.jpg", 640, 480))
Zoom
