Antiporda suspension won’t disrupt NIA operations, says Marcos

The operations of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) will not be disrupted despite the suspension of its chief, Benny Antiporda, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. guaranteed on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event at the Philippine International Convention Center, Marcos said he would find out first what happened to Antiporda and why was he suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman.

He said the food security program of the agency would not be affected by the issue.

"No. There are enough people there in the NIA who know what to do. At in fact, I’m meeting them after this. So, make sure that ‘yung function ng NIA ay tuloy-tuloy," Marcos said.

"We have to find out what happened to Benny, see what really is the situation there, why Ombudsman Martires suspended him. So it happened all when I was away. So I’ve asked them to give me the background on what happened. Yeah. But the function of the NIA is – does not – is not going to change," he added.

In an interview with GMA News Online, Antiporda said that operations in NIA will not be affected by his suspension, especially that they had “already laid down the plans for the agency.”

“Basically, hindi naman talaga makakaapekto dahil nailatag naman natin ng maayos lahat ng gagawin sa NIA… tuloy-tuloy naman ‘yung [functions]. But again, meron kasi akong mga proposals ko and project ko talaga na it will boost the PPP (public-private partnerships) project of the president, wherein ako talaga ang on top of the situation. ‘Yun lang ang makikitang maapektuhan,” he said.

“But the food security na sinasabi ni Presidente, I don’t think maapektuhan yun. Very competent naman lahat ng tao na ipinuwesto na natin,” he added.

(Basically, it won't really have an effect because we have properly laid out everything to be done at the NIA... the [functions] will continue. But again, because I have my proposals and my project that will boost the public-private partnerships project of the President, wherein I am really on top of the situation. That's the only thing that will be affected. But the food security that the President is talking about, I don't think that will be affected. All the people we have placed there are very competent.)

The Office of the Ombudsman placed Antiporda under preventive suspension for six months following the administrative complaints filed against him.

Ombudsman Samuel Martires ordered the suspension after NIA employees Lloyd Allain Cudal and Michelle Gonzales Raymundo had filed complaints against Antiporda for allegedly committing conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, grave misconduct, harassment, oppression, and ignorance of the law.

Antiporda was accused of applying “retaliatory tactics” such as threatening employees, using flag ceremonies as an avenue for bullying and fake news, maligning his employees, and misleading the President among others.

Due process

However, the NIA official said he is hoping that he will be given due process and a chance to explain his side.

“Again, the suspension was done in a very harsh manner, I was not afforded  due process. We only have two complainants. Those two complainants are being charged in the ombudsman prior to the complaint against me. May be retaliatory complaint,” he said.

Moreover, Antiporda believed that there was a “syndicate behind” that wanted him out of NIA as he was trying to “cleanse” corruption issues in the agency.

“’Yung anonymous [complainants] these are people who were affected by the cleansing process. We’re cleansing the NIA now, alam naman natin ang corruption dyan,” he said.

(The anonymous complainants, these are the people who were affected by the cleansing process. We're cleansing the NIA now—we know the corruption there.)

Further, he also asked for the Marcos’ understanding, saying that “he had done nothing illegal and that he was just doing his job.”

“Nakikiusap ako sa Presidente na I’ve be given a chance to at least, enlighten him on the situation. Kasi alam naman ng tao ang tunay na pangyayari. Parang may malaking kamay sa likod… kasi sindikato itong binangga ko eh. This is worth hundreds of millions, billions of pesos pa pala,” Antiporda stressed.

(I am asking the President that I've been given a chance to at least enlighten him on the situation. Because people know the real story. It's like there's really something big behind this ... I am up against this syndicate. This is worth hundreds of millions, even billions of pesos.)

Antiporda also earlier expressed belief that the complaint against him is just a smear campaign, which only seeks to humiliate him and Marcos. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News