NFA chief points to GOCC Governance Act, meetings as workers urge probe, sanctions

The National Food Authority Employees Association (NFAEA) on Friday called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and legislators to investigate and appropriately sanction incumbent NFA Administrator Judy Carol Dansal for her refusal to vacate her post despite the transition to a new administration.

In a statement, the NFAEA alleged that Dansal usurped authority after she “refused to vacate her post when her coterminous appointment expired in the noon of June 30, 2022” when President Rodrigo Duterte ended his six-year term.

The NFA workers noted that Dansal’s counterparts in the other offices and agencies under the Department of Agriculture (DA) had earlier tendered their courtesy resignations.

“In a show of defiance, she did not comply to the lawful order of Secretary William Dar of the DA issued on May 25, 2022 directing all concerned officials under DA to properly turnover documents and records to the highest next career official to ensure continuous and effective delivery of services,” the NFAEA said.

“However, Dansal refused to comply with the Memorandum and even wrote the Deputy Administrator insisting on her continued stay as Administrator on the pretext of hold-over capacity, thereby committing usurpation of authority,” the NFA workers said.

In a virtual press conference, Dansal explained why she remained in office, despite the transition to a new administration, and to “she light on the recent circulations brought by unscrupulous individuals who intend to cause confusion and create doubt as to the legality of the incumbent administrator to continue in office.”

The incumbent NFA administrator said she would “continue to hold office until a successor has been appointed by the president, in our case now, President [Marcos],” citing Section 17 of Chapter 4 of the Republic Act No. 10149 of the Government-owned and controlled Corporation Governance Act of 2011.

Likewise, in a memorandum dated June 30, Dansal said she was ready to make the necessary turnover upon the appointment of the new NFA administrator by the President.

Travel

Meanwhile, the NFAEA said it had filed three separate Complaints against Dansal before the Office of the Ombudsman and an administrative complaint at the Civil Service Commission for her alleged “graft and corrupt practices, grave abuse of authority, wanton disregard of existing laws, rules, and regulations and for her various acts” last March and April this year.

The NFA workers claimed that Dansal has been “traveling a lot, seemingly excessively.”

“There are also documented reports that she would travel with her full entourage having retired NFA employees with her. While she was notoriously spending on her travels, benefits of employees remain unreleased and rank-and-file employees are forced to observe austerity measures such that our drivers are deprived of their overtime pay,” the NFAEA said.

Sought for comment, Dansal said, “On the allegations of corruption… they already filed a case so it is best not to discuss.”

“On the matter of excessive travels, I go on travel for many reasons —to attend DA ManCom (Management Committee) and other meetings upon orders of the DA Secretary,” she said.

“I also travel to attend out of town meetings and inspection of projects as vice chairperson of the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA). All expenses are paid by PFDA,” she added.

The incumbent NFA chief also said that she traveled to attend out-of-town meetings and inspections of projects as chairperson of the Food Terminal Inc or FTI.

“And of course, I travel as Administrator to conduct meetings and give updates and discuss our concerns/problems on the ongoing implementation of our restructuring pursuant to the reduced mandate of the NFA as a consequence of the enactment of RA 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law. During these travels I stay in our staff houses to reduce costs,” she said. — DVM, GMA News