Several National Food Authority (NFA) officials denied on Thursday the alleged P2 billion worth of profit from the rice ‘tara’ (payola) system. “We are appalled at how some politicians have made malicious imputations on activities that are being done in the course of business of the agency,” the NFA officials said in a statement. ADVERTISEMENTSenator Risa Hontiveros, in her privilege speech on Monday, exposed the alleged P2 billion profit from the ‘tara’ system going to several NFA officials, with its former administrator Jason Aquino allegedly at the “center” of the “massive corruption” in the agency. The officials claim that those who were mentioned, with the exemption of Aquino and Carpio, “are long-time NFA employees who rose from the ranks and are now occupying high positions in the operations group of the agency. The NFA officials then called on all politicians and those who want to enter politics “not to use the agency to boost their political stock or to destroy the present administration.” /jeADVERTISEMENTRead Next

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer September 27, 2018 11:26 UTC