Sen. Tulfo blasts NFA execs for selling rice to traders sans bidding

Sen. Raffy Tulfo FILE PHOTO / Bibo Nueva España of Senate PRIB

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Raffy Tulfo on Monday evening lambasted some officials of the National Food Authority (NFA) for alleged “modus” paving the way for illegal sale of rice to traders without bidding.

In a privilege speech, Tulfo particularly named NFA Rices Sales Officials Alwin Uy, Charles Alingod, Max Torda and a certain “Navarro,” adding that “Administrator [Roderico] Bioco is their leader.”

“Paano po ba ang modus nila?  Una po, nakakabili sila ng palay sa mababang halaga na P24 at may dagdag na P2 subsidy from the local government unit bilang bahagi ng Palay Marketing Assistance Program for Legislators and Local Government Units o PALLGU.  So nakukuha po ng NFA ang palay sa halagang P26 pesos.  Tapos ito po ay ipagigiling nila and they will pay it in kind or with rice mill by-products,” Tulfo detailed.

(What is their modus operandi? First, they can buy rice at a low price of P24 and have an additional P2 subsidy from the LGU as part of the Rice Marketing Assistance Program for Legislators and Local Government Units or PALLGU. So the NFA gets the rice for P26. Then they will grind it and they will pay it in kind or with rice mill by-products.)

Right after this, Tulfo said the office of the administrator will look for stocks that “they can sell.” The senator said Bioco orders Director Alwin Uy and Charles Alingod to “identify stocks” and instruct the Quality Assurance Officer to issue a Laboratory Analysis Report to declare that the good stocks are no longer in good condition.

“At pag nakuhaan na ng mga Lab Report itong mga bigas na ito, Administrator Bioco and a certain Navarro will ask Alingod and Uy to negotiate the sale of rice to private millers at sila na din ang kokolekta ng patong on behalf of Bioco and Navarro.  At pag nagkasarahan na, they will issue rice sales to the millers gamit ang mga Lab Report na nagsasabing not fit for human consumption upang mapababa ang presyo ng mga ito,” said Tulfo.

(And when Lab Reports for these rice are out, Administrator Bioco and a certain Navarro will ask Alingod and Uy to negotiate the sale of rice to private millers and they will also collect the rice on behalf of Bioco and Navarro. And when it is closed, they will issue rice sales to the millers using Lab Reports that say they are not fit for human consumption in order to lower their prices.)

The senator fumed at this alleged scheme, pointing out that the scheme is a “waste of precious rice” that would have been reserved for Filipinos in need.

For Tulfo, the rice stocks supposedly sold illegally were only wasted because it was used for corruption.

INQUIRER.net has sought the NFA’s comment on Tulfo’s allegation,  but it has yet to respond as of posting time.

Administrator Bioco and 138 other officials and employees of NFA were earlier placed under preventive suspension for their alleged involvement in the sale of rice buffer stocks.