Cabinet Secretary Leoncio “Jun” Evasco Jr dismissal as chair of the National Food Authority (NFA) Council was a loss in the fight against corruption in the agency, Senator Bam Aquino said on Tuesday.
Aquino said the leadership of Evasco helped in fighting corruption inside the agency due to his dedication in submitting checks and balances to the NFA Council. The Council is an 18-member policy-making body to the government.
“The removal of Cabinet Secretary Jun Evasco from the NFA Council is a loss in our fight against corruption in the importation and management of rice,” Aquino said in a statement.
“Without the checks and balances that Sec. Evasco endeavored to implement, corrupt deals will continue unpunished,” he said.
Evasco’s removal from the council was confirmed by Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque during a press briefing in Boracay.
Roque said the decision to place the NFA under the Department of Agriculture, instead of abolishing it, was reached during a meeting with the NFA Council on Monday.
“Because the NFA is under the Department of Agriculture anew, Cabinet Secretary Leoncio V. Evasco will no longer be part the NFA Council,” Roque said.
READ: Evasco loses job as NFA Council chairman /muf