New NFA chief quits post

Arthur Juan, NFA administrator. PHOTO BY RAFFY LERMA

MANILA, Philippines—Amid allegations of extorting P15 million from a rice trader, National Food Authortiy (NFA) administrator Arthur Juan tendered his resignation on Friday.

But this was swiftly rejected by Presidential Adviser on Food Security Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan.

Pangilinan said he convinced Juan and his assistant Lawyer Patricia Galang not to step down from their posts.

Juan also denied in a press briefing rice trader Jomerito “Jojo” Soliman’s claims.

On Thursday, Soliman who owned a warehouse in Bulacan province raided by the authorities, accused Juan and Galang of extorting a total of P15 million from him.

In a sworn statement submitted to the National Bureau of Investigation, Soliman said Juan told him that P5 million each was meant for Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and Pangilinan and another P5 million for the NFA chief himself.

Soliman said the money was in exchange for the dropping of charges against him and the reopening of his padlocked warehouse.

Juan was only appointed last June 24 by President Benigno Aquino III as NFA council member and administrator.

The 68-year-old Juan served as the president of San Miguel Foods, Inc. (SMFI) from 2005 to 2009 before he was tapped to head the government agency.