Palace: Next NFA chief should have integrity

MANILA, Philippines - The successor of resigned National Food Authority (NFA) administrator Arthur Juan should have integrity and track record to carry out the vital role of the agency, Malacañang said yesterday.

The Palace also reiterated President Aquino still trusts Transportation Secretary Joseph Abaya and Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima despite the controversies hounding them.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the President has yet to appoint the next NFA chief. He said the resignation of Juan – who was tagged in an alleged extortion try on a rice trader – has to undergo administrative processes.

“As a presidential appointee, his (Juan) resignation should be accepted by the President and he should be informed about it,” Coloma said.

“The transition period is short so let’s just wait for it. Among the criteria being considered for qualification are integrity and track record to handle the important responsibility of NFA administrator,” he added.

Coloma said he has no information yet whether the President has spoken to Juan about his resignation.

“What we know for now is the acknowledgment of (presidential assistant for food security and agricultural modernization) Secretary (Francis) Pangilinan that he has resigned,” he said.

Juan submitted an irrevocable resignation on Thursday, citing failing health.

Juan, who only served as NFA chief for three months, is accused of trying to extort P15 million from Jomerito Soliman of Purefeeds Corp., whose warehouse in Bulacan was raided last July.

Soliman has been accused of mixing Thai rice with rice intended as animal feed and passing it off as premium Sinandomeng.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said the National Bureau of Investigation would continue to probe Soliman’s allegations even if Juan has resigned from his post.

Still in trust

Coloma said Abaya, who is implicated in the questionable maintenance deal for the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3), is still trusted by the President.

“As far as I know, he still has the full trust and confidence of the President,” Coloma said in Filipino.

Last week, the Office of the Ombudsman ordered a preliminary investigation and administrative adjudication against Abaya and other transport officials for supposedly entering into an anomalous maintenance contract for the MRT-3.

Abaya has expressed readiness to face the allegations against him.

On Purisima, Coloma said the President won’t be affected by the allegations against the PNP chief who has been accused of amassing ill-gotten wealth.

“The President leads the entire executive department. He is the Chief Executive. His perspective is wide and he is unfazed by such issues. He faces them and he gives them reasonable response and solutions,” he said.

Consumer group Coalition of Filipino Consumers has filed plunder, graft and direct bribery charges against Purisima before the Ombudsman for allegedly amassing ill-gotten wealth and receiving bribes for the building of a mansion in Camp Crame.

Purisima was also accused of hiding the true value of his alleged mansion in Nueva Ecija.

The call to oust Purisima was triggered with the involvement of several policemen in illegal activities, most recently the EDSA incident involving 12 police officers in a kidnapping and extortion attempt.

Arsenio Evangelista of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) wanted Purisima to quit over allegations of corruption in the PNP.

Some police officers cried foul over Evangelista’s statements branding the PNP as an “organized crime syndicate” under Purisima.

The police officials reminded Evangelista that Purisima led the arrest of the suspects in the killing of his son Venson on Jan. 14, 2011. Purisima was then police director of Central Luzon.

“We respect their right to criticize the PNP but criticism on the PNP and PNP chief should be objective and with basis,” said one police officer.

An official of an umbrella group of agriculture stakeholders based in Pangasinan also wanted Purisima to stay on.

Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura president Rosendo So expressed confidence that Purisima will be able to clear his name.

“We believe that Gen. Alan Purisima is not guilty. He can explain everything before a proper forum,” So said.

So added many people wanted Purisima out as PNP chief because of his efforts in cleaning the police ranks.

So recalled how Purisima was very effective as head of the Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response (PACER) from 2002 to 2003.

“He helped so many kidnap victims, including my own family,” So said.

“General Purisima’s record must be good then that when he was to be relieved as provincial director, five of the six congressmen and 43 mayors from Pangasinan signed a letter of appeal to then PNP chief Police Director General Oscar Calderon for Purisima’s stay in the province, citing his accomplishments in resolving big time criminalities,” he added. –Cecille Suerte Felipe, Eva Visperas