NFA Badian exec to face crime raps over missing rice

The Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas has found “enough grounds” to upgrade its fact-finding  on the disappearance of over P10 million worth of imported rice from the National Food Authority’s (NFA) warehouse in Badian town last year into a criminal case.

Benedicto Bernal, warehousing officer of the NFA in Badian town, will have to answer charges of malversation of public property and grave misconduct.

The investigation stemmed from a Cebu Daily News report on Nov. 21, 2012 which highlighted the discovery of the missing rice stocks when the NFA made  an inventory at the NFA warehouse in Badian.

In her final evaluation report, graft investigatior and prosecution officer Lou Pagaran-Tila said there was sufficient evidence to conduct  a preliminary investigation and administrative adjudication against Bernal.

“The evidence on record points to establish the elements of malversation of public property. He (Bernal) appropriates, takes, or misappropriates said public properties by his failure to immediately produce/restitute the shortage upon demand. Thus, the prima facie presumption of malversation arises,” Tila said.Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol approved the findings.

Bernal failed  to produce the missing imported rice amounting to P10, 628, 095.09.

Bernal was given a chance to produce or restitute the missing rice but failed to do so. He was a senior grains operations officer, and had  custody of stocks of  imported rice.

NFA records showed that Bernal handled P17.5 million worth of imported  rice  and P3.457.76 million worth of imported iron-fortified  rice  from March 16, 2017 to June 1, 2012.

During its inventory, the NFA central office noted a shortage of about 195 tons of ordinary imported rice  and about 108 tons of imported iron-fortified rice. /Ador Vincent Mayol, Reporter