Former NFA officials face graft charges

FILE PHOTO

MANILA — Former National Food Authority (NFA) administrator Lito Banayo and five others are now facing graft charges before the anti-graft court for their alleged involvement in the irregular rice importation program of the agency.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Thursday filed against Banayo and other officials including NFA special bids and awards committee (SBAC) chair Joe Cordero and members Celia Tan, lawyer Gilberto Lauengco, Carlito Co, and lawyer Judy Carol Dansal.

“Upon investigation, the NBI discovered a scheme whereby certain rice traders/importers were able to corner the National Food Authority’s rice import allocations through the use of farmers’ organizations/cooperatives and single proprietorships as dummies in the NFA bidding for rice Import Allocation under the Private Sector-Financed importation thru the NFA Tax Expenditure Subsidy,” the report signed by NBI Director Virgilio Mendez indicated.

Meanwhile, separate charges of bid-fixing, monopoly and restraint of trade were filed before the Justice Department against Davidson Bangayan also known as “David Tan.

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The charges which all amounted to violations of the Government Procurement Reform Act (RA 9184) and the Revised Penal Code were filed against Bangayan for his alleged involvement in rice smuggling.