CIDG probes missing NFA rice in Agusan del Sur

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – ‎Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) has launched an investigation into the missing 1,000 sacks of National Food Authority (NFA) rice in a Bayugan City warehouse in Agusan del Sur province.

Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II ‎ordered the police to conduct the probe after NFA authorities in Caraga Region recommended the investigation on the “anomalous and questionable” issuance and bringing out of NFA rice from the warehouse.

Senior Inspector Dick Cale, Caraga police CIDG chief, ‎identified in a statement on Tuesday the warehouse supervisor as Melvin Pacaña.

Cale said Pacaña admitted that he released more or less 1,600 sacks of NFA rice worth P2.4 million ‎to “unknown traders” without proper authorization.

Last July 18, Cale and officials of NFA Agusan Del Sur inspected about 9,000 sacks of NFA rice only to find out that 1,600 sacks went missing.

The police then discovered that the missing rice sacks were replaced with 133 pieces of decoy wooden crates covered with empty rice sacks.

The crates were brought to the NFA office in Bayugan City as evidence for the continuous probe.

“If the warehouse supervisor is proven to be liable, charges will be filed against him,” ‎Chief Inspector Elizabeth Jasmin, CIDG spokesperson, said.

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