Partylist rep wants investigation into overpriced rice

A partylist representative on Wednesday said he wants a congressional inquiry into the country’s rice situation, in light of allegations of corruption and the reported irregular rice importation of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the National Food Authority (NFA) from Vietnam.
 
Rep. Jonathan Dela Cruz of the Abakada-Guro partylist said that an investigation was in order, especially after the exposé that the April 2013’s DA-NFA’s rice importation of 205,700 metric tons (MT) was overpriced by at least P442 million.
 
“These government agencies have a lot of explaining to do,” said Dela Cruz.
 
Dela Cruz credited a lawyer called Argee Guevarra for exposing the scam late last week. The expose was also corroborated by consumer group, Ang Gawad Pinoy Consumers Cooperative, Dela Cruz said.
 
“First, they reported only 187,000 metric tons but apparently another 18,700 MT was imported without the prior approval of the Department of Finance. Second, a check with the Oryza Global Rice price index reveals that the purchase was overpriced by the P442 million for the entire transaction and third, despite repeatedly bragging about rice self-sufficiency, they now intend to import another 700,000 metric tons by November,” Dela Cruz said in a press conference.
 
Meanwhile Dela Cruz said he will summon a certain “Buddy R” who acted as bagman for the group behind the anomalous deal.

Insufficient?

Dela Cruz also said he received information that the rice stock held by the NFA is insufficient.
 
“I think we should really look into this. From what I was told by NFA insiders, we only have 18 days in supply stocks and worse, we only have around five to six days of good stock rice because the rest are still in palay form,” he said.

Meanwhile, House Resolution 261, also filed by Dela Cruz, directs the House Committee on Food Security to conduct a formal inquiry into the real state of the country’s rice supply, especially amid the rising cost of rice in the market and the reported widespread rice shortage in the country.
 
“The price increment of the lowest commercial grade rice variety rose from P27 per kilo a few months ago to P34 per kilo recently and the nearest next prices stocks of a more edible quality is now at P41 per kilo,” it said. — BM, GMA News