MANILA, Philippines – Suspended National Food Authority (NFA) employees have sought the Court of Appeals’ (CA) intervention in their pending case before the Office of the Ombudsman.

On July 4, 27 suspended NFA employees filed a petition with the CA, asking the appellate court to nullify the Ombudsman’s suspension order. The CA has the power to act on orders issued by lower courts and quasi-judicial bodies like the Ombudsman. The petitioners were composed of NFA regional and branch managers from different parts of the country.

Back in March, the Ombudsman ordered the preventive suspension of 139 NFA officials and employees over the “controversial sale of rice buffer stocks.” Suspended officials included administrator Roderico Bioco, assistant administrator for operations John Robert Hermano, 12 regional managers, 27 branch managers, and 98 warehouse supervisors. Preventive suspension is part of the Ombudsman’s procedure to ensure fairness and balance during the probe’s duration.

Only days later, the officials and employees contested their suspension, suggesting that the complaint was hastily assembled and had factual errors. The NFA officials and employees filed a motion for reconsideration with the Ombudsman, arguing that the anti-corruption body committed grave errors of fact in crafting the list of suspended NFA officials and staff.

The list included a person who was already dead, staff on study leave, and even personnel who already retired from NFA.

Two months later, in May, the Ombudsman lifted its suspension order only for 72 warehouse supervisors through an order dated May 10. The anti-corruption body explained that the suspension of warehouse supervisors was “no longer necessary.”

However, 27 employees remained suspended. The employees said the Ombudsman has yet to explain their continued suspension, adding that the body is still sitting on their motion for reconsideration and motion to resolve.

“The order of preventive suspension has deprived these NFA employees of their salaries and livelihood. They were unable to provide for their families during this time, causing great hardships and difficulty amidst the current state of the economy,” the petitioners said. – Rappler.com