Suspended NFA employees ask Court of Appeal to overturn Ombudsman’s order

The employees claim that the Ombudsman has not yet explained the reasons for their continued suspension, adding that the body has not yet taken action on their request for a reconsideration of the case and the request for termination.

MANILA, Philippines – Suspended National Food Authority (NFA) employees have asked the Court of Appeals (CA) to intervene in a case pending before the Office of the Ombudsman.

On July 4, 27 suspended NFA employees filed a petition with the CA asking the appellate court to quash the suspension order issued by the Ombudsman. The CA has the authority to act on orders issued by lower courts and quasi-judicial bodies such as the Ombudsman. The petitioners consisted of regional and branch managers of the NFA from different parts of the country.

In March, the Ombudsman ordered the preventive suspension of 139 NFA officials and employees over the “controversial sale of buffer stocks of rice.” The suspended officials include Administrator Roderico Bioco, Assistant Administrator for Operations John Robert Hermano, 12 regional managers, 27 branch managers and 98 warehouse managers. The preventive suspension is part of the Ombudsman’s procedure to ensure fairness and balance during the investigation.

Just days later, officials and employees challenged their suspension, suggesting the complaint was hastily drafted and contains factual errors. NFA officials and employees filed a motion for review with the Ombudsman, arguing that the anti-corruption body had made serious factual errors in drawing up the list of suspended NFA officials and employees.

The list included people who had already died, staff on sabbatical, and even NFA employees who had already retired.

Two months later, in May, the Ombudsman lifted the suspension order against only 72 warehouse managers by order dated May 10. The anti-corruption body explained that the suspension of warehouse managers was “no longer necessary.”

However, 27 employees remained suspended. The employees said the Ombudsman had not yet explained their continued suspension, adding that the body was still waiting for their application for review and termination.

“The preventive suspension order has deprived these NFA employees of their salaries and means of livelihood. They have been unable to support their families during this time, which has caused great hardship and hardship in the current state of the economy,” the petitioners said. Rappler.com