Cabinet Secretary Leoncio “Jun” Evasco Jr. (Photo from Malacañang)
Cabinet Secretary Leoncio “Jun” Evasco is no longer the chair of the National Food Authority (NFA) Council.
This development came after the NFA has been reverted back to the DA.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made the announcement during a press briefing in Boracay on Tuesday.
“Because the NFA is under the Department of Agriculture anew, the Cabinet Secretary Leoncio V. Evasco will no longer be part of the NFA Council,” Roque said.
The NFA Council is an 18-member policy-making body of the NFA headed by Evasco.
The NFA has reverted back to the DA upon the orders of Duterte during the President’s meeting with the NFA Council in Malacañang on Monday.
In a statement, Evasco said he respected the President’s decision.
“I have full respect with the decision of the President given the encompassing nature and impact of the National Food Authority on the Filipino People and the farmers,” he said.
“We have put in place several policy guidelines that have provided a more Transparent, Competitive, Inclusive and Accountable system of procurement and distribution of NFA rice as a result of more than 20 Council Meetings since my designation by the President as NFA Council Chair,” he added.
Roque and Evasco, however, did not disclose why the Cabinet Secretary was removed as the NFA Council chair.
Evasco and the NFA management led by administrator Jason Aquino have been throwing accusations against each other over the country’s rice supply.
Evasco had earlier said that the NFA was creating an “artificial” rice shortage.
READ: NFA creating fake rice shortage, says Cabinet secretary
In his statement, Evasco said there were efforts to discredit his name and the NFA Council.
But he said he had never been involved or charged with corruption in his two decades in government service.
“In my more than 20 years in Government Public Service including 3 terms as Mayor of the municipality of Maribojoc in Bohol, I have never been charged with Malfeasance, Misfeasance or Nonfeasance in the conduct of my work more than 20 years of Government Public Service,” he said in his statement.
“I have never been investigated by any office on any misdealings, let alone I have never been charged at the Ombudsman / Sandiganbayan for any corrupt practices,” he added.
He said “it has been a challenge to be part of these reform agenda in NFA and in the government at large especially with the effort of some quarters to discredit my name and that of the council.”
“With the President’s decision to transfer the governance to the next council Chair, I believe that NFA can now move forward towards ensuring that corrupt, exclusive and debt-ridden practices during the past administrations will not reign in the next transactions to pass,” he said.
“At this critical juncture, today is the best time for NFA to move towards being a true partner of the farmer in delivering better quality services, a true partner of the Filipino poor consumers in providing affordable and quality rice to the public and a true partner of the nation in ensuring food security for rice especially during the periods of calamities and disasters,” he added. /jpv
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