Today Rice News Headlines...
·
NFA disputes data on
smuggled rice
·
Rice exporters: REAP irked
by attaché’s ‘non-cooperation’
·
Health expert warns farmers
against heat stroke
·
Rice exporters for extending
payback period for loans
·
Taiwanese scientist makes
mark as the 'Father of Dominican Rice'
·
By Luis B. Gomez Luciano,
Special to The China Post
·
03/11/2016 Farm Bureau
Market Report
·
Bacteria increases upland
rice yield – study
·
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA),
a useful tool in coping with climate change
·
PhilRice Midsayap promotes
agriculture in senior high
·
Govt in talks with GCC
countries on oil-for-food scheme: Pradhan
·
Palestine to organize Trade
Expo in Pakistan this year: Envoy
·
Ex-Gov. Javier, mayor, 9
others indicted in Php10-M rice mill scam
News Detail...
NFA disputes
data on smuggled rice
THE NATIONAL Food Authority (NFA)
questioned the data used by an agricultural group suggesting that up to 700,000
metric tons of rice illicitly entered the country in 2014.
“We could not find in the UN (United Nations) Comtrade the 2.3 million
[metric tons, or MT, of total rice imports] showed in SINAG’s PowerPoint
presentation used by Senator (Cynthia A.) Villar,” NFA spokesman Angel G.
Imperial said in a talk with BusinessWorld on Friday.
Mr. Imperial added that when the NFA asked SINAG for its sources, the group referred to the UN Comtrade Web site, the Chinese official news agency Xinhua, and thairiceexporters.or.th, run by the Thai rice industry.SINAG, which stands for Samahang Industiya ng Agrikultura, is the umbrella group composed of 33 farmers’ and irrigators’ associations.Sought for comment on the 2.3-million-MT estimate, SINAG President Rosendo O. So said, “The extrapolation is our analysis and we are not publicly showing it yet. We stand by our data and analysis.”The data validate the behavior of millers and traders who have not been buying palay at their usual levels, Mr. So added.Mr. Imperial said that the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, Senator Villar, in a Senate hearing on Feb. 23, used SINAG’s data to question the performance of agencies involved in preventing illegal imports.The NFA spokesman said official Customs records revealed rice importations of 1.58 million MT in 2014. The NFA recorded similar levels at some 1.5 million MT. -- Janina C. Lim
Mr. Imperial added that when the NFA asked SINAG for its sources, the group referred to the UN Comtrade Web site, the Chinese official news agency Xinhua, and thairiceexporters.or.th, run by the Thai rice industry.SINAG, which stands for Samahang Industiya ng Agrikultura, is the umbrella group composed of 33 farmers’ and irrigators’ associations.Sought for comment on the 2.3-million-MT estimate, SINAG President Rosendo O. So said, “The extrapolation is our analysis and we are not publicly showing it yet. We stand by our data and analysis.”The data validate the behavior of millers and traders who have not been buying palay at their usual levels, Mr. So added.Mr. Imperial said that the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, Senator Villar, in a Senate hearing on Feb. 23, used SINAG’s data to question the performance of agencies involved in preventing illegal imports.The NFA spokesman said official Customs records revealed rice importations of 1.58 million MT in 2014. The NFA recorded similar levels at some 1.5 million MT. -- Janina C. Lim
http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Economy&title=nfa-disputes-data-on-smuggled-rice&id=124429
Rice exporters: REAP irked by attaché’s ‘non-cooperation’
Published:
March 13, 2016
PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
ISLAMABAD: Rice
Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) came down hard on the country’s
commercial attaché in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for not cooperating with the
association to facilitate the issuance of visas.“The REAP delegation postponed
their scheduled visit to the Kingdom after they were given a cold shoulder by
the commercial attaché Wasim Hayat Bajwa,” said REAP delegation leader Abdul
Rahim Janoo, while talking to The Express Tribune.
“This is not
the first time this has happened; we have had to cancel our scheduled visit
twice because of the non-cooperative attitude,” he added. The REAP had prepared
a 29-member delegation for a visit to Saudi Arabia from March 11-20 to discuss
rice exports with the authorities and the business community.“Bajwa did not
cooperate with us for the issuance of visa letter for the members,” said Janoo,
adding that now the association had decided not to send any delegation to Saudi
Arabia as long as the incumbent commercial attaché was posted.
He said Saudi
Arabia was one of the largest rice markets for basmati rice but Pakistan’s
share was a meagre 10% in it. “Our rice share in the Saudi market is
continuously falling and neighbouring countries are taking advantage of it.”
Pakistan
produced 7.008 million tons of rice during 2014-15 and recorded highest ever
production due to timely sowing, availability of irrigation water and more
acreage under high yielding hybrid rice varieties.About 3 million tons of
rice is annually consumed in the country and the remaining quantity is
exported. This year, however, most of the stock could not be shipped due to
decline of the commodity price in the international market.Thailand, India and
Vietnam are occupying Pakistan’s traditional rice markets because of
competitive pricing.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 13th,
2016
http://tribune.com.pk/story/1064669/rice-exporters-reap-irked-by-attaches-non-cooperation/
Health expert warns farmers against heat stroke
POSTED BY WEB TEAM POSTED ON MAR - 12 - 2016
With the onslaught of El Niño and the summer season fast
approaching, an expert advises farmers to take necessary precautions against
heat stroke.Dr. Raul V. Destura, an internal medicine and infectious disease
specialist, says that heat stroke is one of the most common health risks among
farmers who work under the scorching heat of the sun.
According to Destura, heat stroke, also known as sun stroke, is
a severe heat illness with body temperature that is greater than 40.6 °C (105.1
°F), mostly due to environmental heat exposure.
“Most of the time, heat stroke becomes unnoticed or undiagnosed
among the rural health units,” Destura said.
He added that people who experience this are sometimes thought
of as “na-maligno” or under the control of a superficial
creature when in fact, altered mental state or behavior is one of the symptoms
of this illness.
Other symptoms of heat stroke include an alteration in sweating,
nausea and vomiting, flushed skin, rapid breathing, racing heart rate, and
headache.
“If it’s heat stroke, your skin is dry. If you’re
over-exercised, you get a moist skin,” Destura clarified.
Immediate interventions for heat stroke is to get the person into
shade or indoors, remove excess clothing, keep him hydrated, and cool him with
whatever means available.
This may include putting the person in a cool tub of water or
shower, spraying with garden hose, or sponging cool water. Placing ice packs or
wet towels on the person’s head, neck, armpits, and groin is also a measure
that can be done.
Meanwhile, rice farmers are also highly exposed to respiratory
ailments especially during the harvest season when they get to inhale dust
particles from threshing. This may also cause allergies and skin infections.
Chemical exposure from the wrong use of pesticides is also
risky. Destura, therefore, advises farmers to use protective equipment such as
facemasks and gloves.
Considering these health risks, Destura strongly recommends that
occupational health risks “must be comprehensively integrated in rice farming
management.” He encourages a multidisciplinary approach that includes health of
the farmers.
Mechanized farming is also one of his suggestions to reduce
biological risks with proper training and machine maintenance to avoid
mechanical accidents.
Lastly, he encourages farmers to consult a doctor immediately if
they have any health concern. Destura also emphasized that doctors and health
experts must direct their studies to practical applications that benefit the
health of the farmers.
“We need to generate agricultural productivity without too much
compromise on our farmers’ health,” he ended.
Destura’s talk on “Health Risks in Rice Farming” was featured in a seminar-series at
the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) earlier this year. He is
currently the Chair of the Institutional Biosafety and Biosecurity Committee of
UP Manila
http://www.philrice.gov.ph/health-expert-warns-farmers-heat-stroke/#sthash.wdibREEs.dpuf
http://www.philrice.gov.ph/health-expert-warns-farmers-heat-stroke/
Rice exporters for extending payback period for loans
March 13, 2016
“And the government seems to be indifferent to the situation, which is unfortunate,” observed REAP Chairman Shafique Chaudhary.In order to restore compatibility of Pakistani basmati, Shafique demanded refund of the Withholding Tax paid by the rice exporters in 2013-14 and 2014-15, and reduction in its rate in future to 0.
25 percent only.Addressing a meeting at the REAP office here on Saturday, the chairman also demanded the withdrawal of WHT of 3.5 percent on the local purchase of paddy rice and various strategic interventions that would enable the rice exporters to operate without subsidies.
“It has become uncompetitive, especially in the case of various basmati varieties, and the rice-importing countries have begun turning to India, Thailand and Vietnam,” Shafique added.
He further said that the demand for Pakistani rice was drying up because of its comparatively higher prices.
“In terms of quantity, the country has been producing about 2 million tonnes of basmati rice, half of which is consumed domestically and the rest is exported.But from 2011 onwards, the exports started declining for various reasons,” he elaborated.He added that one of the reasons for drop in the quality of basmati was that since 1997 no new basmati seed had been introduced in the market.
“The inability of public sector researchers to introduce new high yielding basmati varieties in Pakistan has resulted in a constant decline in its per acre production, enabling the Indians to capture global basmati market with new long grain, high yield varieties,” he added.
“However the more immediate problem faced by the rice industry is the shortage of cash flow.
The exporters are not in a position to even purchase paddy from growers,” the chairman said.
“If rice exporters’ concerns are not addressed and their proposals are not considered, the rice export will see further drop,” Shafique warned.
He demanded the rice mills be exempted from gas and electricity loadshedding, so that the export targets could be achieved.Moreover, rice must be included in the list of items that come under the Free Trade Agreements (FTA) signed with different countries, so that a substantial quantity of rice may be exported.
http://nation.com.pk/business/13-Mar-2016/rice-exporters-for-extending-payback-period-for-loans
Taiwanese
scientist makes mark as the 'Father of Dominican Rice'
By Luis B. Gomez Luciano, Special
to The China Post
March 14, 2016, 12:02 am TWN
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- How the
Dominican Republic, a Caribbean country, became self-sufficient in rice
production could be surprising, but for Dominicans there is no mystery. They
know that a Taiwanese scientist contributed much for it. So, they call him the
Father of Dominican Rice.
He is Dr. Yin Tieh Hsieh (謝英鐸), a native of Pingtung and an alumnus of National Taiwan University.
Hsieh was motivated by his professor, Chao Lien-Fang, to stay two years
supporting the work of the Taiwanese Technical Mission. In Taiwan, he was a
rising star in rice genetics helping to develop several new varieties when the
Green Revolution was booming.
Located in the Dominican Republic, the Taiwanese mission led by Hsieh
and assistants in the country worked to purify the local rice cultivars that
were once introduced by Spaniard conquistadores. This initial attempt helped to
increase yield by 80 percent.
Two years passed and the results were so promising that his professor,
Chao, asked Hsieh to stay for two more years. He accepted and started a
breeding program that was to achieve unprecedented success in the region,
making his research station (Juma) one of the most prolific in Latin America.
According to journalist Antonio Gil, in his book about Hsieh and the 50
years of the Taiwanese mission in the Dominican Republic, the success motivated
the president of the Dominican Republic, Joaquín Balaguer, to convince Hsieh to
stay longer.
The impact of the Taiwanese scientists working together with Dominican
colleagues is reflected in the increase of crop yield by more than 200 percent
in 20 years while the whole American continent's only increased 72 percent in
the same period. This was achieved thanks to the development of a new
generation of varieties combining local genetic materials with others
introduced from Taiwan and other regions. The rice varieties developed by Hsieh
fostered the development of a whole rice industry and more than 80 percent of
the rice cultivated fields in the Dominican Republic have been growing
varieties developed by Hsieh and his helpers.
They have not only created many rice varieties (best known are Juma 57,
Juma 58 and Prosequisa 4), but have also educated several generations of
Dominican professionals, who are now working in companies, research institutes
and universities.
At the beginning, the plant breeder focused on rice yield improvement,
which was barely 2.4 tons per hectare when the mission arrived in the Dominican
Republic in 1965. Now, with the country self-sufficient in rice production and
with a national average yield above six tons per hectare, Hsieh, at 86, works
on the improvement of rice grain quality.
The title says it all. Dr. Hsieh, Father of Dominican Rice, has
carefully worked to improve rice production with new rice varieties and
technologies, training of local professionals and advice to the government.
For more information about Dr. Hsieh, visit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1002spGILcA
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/dream/2016/03/14/460715/Taiwanese-scientist.htm
03/11/2016 Farm Bureau Market Report
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Rice Comment
Rice futures ended lower, but traded within Thursday's trading range. Export sales last week
were 145,800 metric tons, with Japan and Venezuela the top buyers, which is a
marketing year high. However, this week’s WASDE report lowered US exports by
another 2 million cwt, bringing the estimate to an even 100 million cwt. That
left carry out up 2 million cwt at 43.9 million cwt. Global rice supplies for
15/16 were raised 1.8 million tons due to increased production.
Bacteria increases upland rice yield – study
Researchers
at the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) found that a certain
bacteria enhances growth, root development, and grain yield of upland rice
varieties.The study, Exploring the potential of plant growth promoting
actinomycetes to enhance upland rice production, led by Jayvee A. Cruz
evaluated the effectiveness of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) in
enhancing the growth and yield of upland rice.
PGPB
is recognized in agriculture in reducing the use of chemical fertilizer due to
its growth promoting abilities.
Actinomycetes, the study found, are the
most economically and biotechnologically valuable bacteria. It also showed the
bacteria’s potential to stay in the plant and promote growth by increasing the
availability of primary nutrients.
“Actinomycetes can
help stimulate root development, and contribute to the increased capacity of
the root system for soil nutrients and water uptake to support plant growth.
Because of this, we applied the bacteria on upland rice to see its potential in
increasing upland rice productivity,” Cruz said.
Amongst
59 tested, Cruz and her team identified S. mutabilis NB3 as
the most promising.
“We
found that S. mutabilis NB3 with half inorganic fertilizer
increased the grain yield from an average of 600 kg/ha to 1,200 kg/ha, proving
its potential to reduce fertilizer input by half. It also increased root dry
weight and tiller number of upland rice varieties,” Cruz explained.
“Their
enhanced growth and ability to survive in Carbonized Rice Hull (CRH)
demonstrate the potential of actinomycetes as plant
growth-promoting inoculant for upland rice. The CRH could also be an alternate
carrier other than soil for commercial use in the future,” Cruz added.
With
an average yield of 1 to 1.5 t/ha, upland rice production suffers from factors
such as low soil fertility and moisture stress. To increase yield, there should
be a high application of inorganic fertilizer according to Cruz.
“Since
the study showed its potential to reduce fertilizer input by half, actinomycetes can
help farmers minimize their expenditures on fertilizers. It also enhances the
condition of the soil, improving its ability to take in water and nutrients,”
Cruz concluded.
Life Cycle
Assessment (LCA), a useful tool in coping with climate change
A
Japanese Professor from Tohoku University recommended the Life Cycle Assessment
(LCA) tool to rice researchers in helping farmers cope with climate change.LCA,
according to Professor Masanori Sato, is a technique that enables industries to
identify the resource flows (water and energy inputs), and environmental
impacts (GHG emissions) associated with the provision of products and services.
Researchers
and decision makers will find LCA useful in giving concrete recommendations to
farmers on what alternative technologies, products, processes, or services that
they can use in climate change mitigation.
“Nowadays,
industries like farming use resources such as water and energy as inputs. The
common misconception is that we tend to focus on the first and last parts of
the whole farming system, without knowing that a large chunk of carbon dioxide
and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions occur in the production stage. Using LCA as
a tool, we can evaluate the environmental effects of a product throughout its
life cycle, from cradle to grave,” Saito said during a lecture at the
Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), 17 Feb.
Aside
from LCA’s environmental benefits, Saito also mentioned how it contributed to
the improvement of rice production in Japan. His team discovered that most
carbon dioxide and GHG emissions occur in the middle of the production and
drying stage. Their rice industry responded by changing from a conventional
tillage to a reduced tillage system where CO2 and GHG emissions
are relatively low.
“Using
LCA is now a necessity as it helps businesses and industries better understand
the environmental impacts of their practices. It aids in making informed
decisions in process improvement as they reduce production costs, while also
mitigating adverse impacts to the environment,” Saito added.
LCA
can be a great tool for decision makers to make sound recommendations for
farmers to adapt or follow, and to become resourceful and strategic in finding
less GHG-emitting processes to substitute their current conventional practices.
Meanwhile,
Engr. Elmer Bautista of PhilRice, also conducted a study on LCA titled, ‘Evaluation
of the energy input-output and greenhouse gas emissions of rice production
systems in the Philippines and possible mitigation technologies.’“When you
do LCA, you will know each step in the rice production process. You can
identify which step produces the most emissions. From there, we plan our
actions,” Bautista said.
He
also mentioned that LCA is not widely used in the country because people are
not informed about it.
Saito
and Bautista encouraged more Filipino researchers to use LCA like what Japan
and Australia did to reduce the harmful gas emissions during production.
“Climate
change is now affecting all industries, not only in the agricultural sector.
This is a call for everyone to be responsible in their practices. Since climate
change is inevitable, the most we can do is not to contribute to its effects,”
Saito concluded.
PhilRice
Midsayap promotes agriculture in senior high
The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in Midsayap,
North Cotabato has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Midsayap-Dilangalen
National High School (MDNHS) to promote agriculture to senior high school
students, 8 February.
Effective this year, senior high school students of MDNHS will
undergo an immersion-training program under the crop production curriculum.
PhilRice Midsayap will provide technical assistance through lectures and
hands-on activities on crop production.
“We want the students to have a deeper interest in agriculture.
This will also serve as their training ground in actual office and technical
operations to strengthen their formal learning,” said Melda C. Villora, school
principal.
The said program will be part of the students’ requirements prior
to graduation. As trainees, the students will have access to various rice
production and management facilities at the PhilRice Midsayap station.
“This partnership can boost the number of students who will be
interested to take up agriculture courses,” said Dr.
Sailila E. Abdula, PhilRice Midsayap acting branch director.
“By introducing agriculture at a younger age, we can
further fuel their interest to venture in agriculture and agri-related courses,
and be part of the manpower that helps our farmers,” he added.
PhilRice has been conducting various development initiatives
involving youth engagement in agriculture, such as the Rice Boot Camp, a training program that helps
enhance the capacity of fresh graduates in agriculture and related sciences on
the latest rice production technologies.
The Institute’s Infomediary Campaign mobilizes high school students
to serve as information providers or “infomediaries” in their farming
communities.
The campaign, in partnership with the Department of
Education’s Technical-Vocational Unit, also incorporates Climate-Smart
Agriculture (CSA) in major agriculture subjects in technical-vocational schools
throughout the country.
Govt in talks with GCC countries on oil-for-food scheme: Pradhan
The govt is
contemplating to increase export of basmati rice and wheat to GCC countries
BS Reporter | New
Delhi March 11, 2016 Last Updated at 17:38 IST
"We are in talks with 2-3
GCC countries to ensure our oil security and at the same time they want to
ensure theirfood security. The discussions are being held at the senior leadership
level.," said Dharmendra Pradhan, minister for Oil, Petroleum and Natural
Gas while interacting with media persons.
Under the programme, the
government is contemplating to increase export of Basmati Rice and wheat to GCC
countries.GCC region is the source of nearly two-third of India's crude oil
requirements and its largest trading partner. UAEalone contributes
significantly to India's energy security and is the sixth largest supplier of
crude oil to India in 2014-15. For India's energy security, UAE is an important
country as it gets 9.38 per cent of total crude requirement from that country.
The volume of supply in 2014-15 was 15.99 million tonnes.
Pradhan also added that that
India has already set reserves to store crude oil. He added that the country
recently commissioned 5.33 MMT capacity to store oil at Vishakapatnam in Andhra
Pradesh, Manglore and Padur in Karnataka. He also added that the work on
setting up reserves for additional 12.5 MMTPA would commence soon.
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to UAE, it was
decided to increase the current volume of bilateral trade by 60 per cent in the
next five years. India is UAE's number one trading partner while the Gulf
nation is India's third largest trading partner after the US and China
Palestine to organize Trade Expo in Pakistan this year: Envoy
By DND
March 11, 2016
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: A Trade Expo of Palestine is
being planned in Islamabad in June this year to showcase the potential of many
Palestinian products.These products included marble and stones, food items,
agro products, industrial goods, handicrafts, technology and communications,
leather goods, construction, tourism and many others for Pakistani consumers,
Ambassador of Palestine, Walid Abu Ali said on Friday,In an interaction with
business community at Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) here,
he said the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) would sponsor the Trade
Expo.He said Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry should cooperation with
Palestinian Embassy to make this expo successful.
The Ambassador said the Trade Expo would provide a
good opportunity to the businessmen of both countries to interact and explore
ways and means for enhancing bilateral trade.He said though it was difficult
for Pakistani businessmen to do direct trade with Palestine due to Israeli
factor, however, they could export to Palestine through Jordon, Egypt and
Turkey which were facilitating it in trading activities.He said many Pakistani
products including rice, textiles, pharmaceuticals and others have good potential
in Palestinian market.He stressed that more opportunities should be created for
the businessmen of Palestine and Pakistan to identify all untapped areas of
mutual cooperation.
He said enhanced business relations between the two
countries would bring many benefits for their economies and people.He was also
thankful to the Pakistani government and people for supporting the cause of
Palestine and added that Pakistan was a source of main support for Palestine.Speaking
at the occasion, President, ICCI, Atif Ikram Sheikh said that Pakistan and
Palestine have good potential to complement each other in many areas and both
countries should focus on developing bilateral trade to create better economic
opportunities for their people.
He said both countries had agreed to form a Joint
Ministerial Commission to improve two-way trade and economic relations and
stressed that all possible efforts should be made to materialize this plan.
He said Pakistan wanted peace in Palestine so that
trade and economic activities could flourish and people of Palestine could
enjoy a better living standard.He appreciated the initiative of holding
Palestine’s Trade Expo in Pakistan and assured that ICCI would extend all
possible cooperation to make this venture successful.
Sheikh Pervez Ahmed Senior Vice President and Sheikh
Abdul Waheed Vice President ICCI also underscored the importance of
strengthening trade and economic relations between the two countries.
Ex-Gov. Javier, mayor, 9 others indicted in
Php10-M rice mill scam
SAN JOSE, Antique — Former Antique Rep. Exequiel B. Javier, an
incumbent town mayor and nine other local officials of the province, are
indicted for violating the anti-graft and corrupt practices act involving a
bogus rice mill project eight years ago.Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales
approved the findings of graft investigator and prosecution officer Amy Rose A.
Soler-Rellin to charge Javier and company in court by giving a Php10-million
rice mill machinery intended for the town of Patnongon to a hastily organized
private firm.Javier, then congressman of Antique, appropriated Php10 million of
his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) for the acquisition of a rice
mill for the use of the farmers of Patnongon but transferred it to the Greater
Antique Development Cooperative (GRAND Coop) in haste.
The GRAND Coop, composed and run by political allies of Javier,
was found out to be involved in “lending activities” and not in the business of
operating a rice mill and it was even conveniently housed in the district
office of the congressman in the capital town of San Jose de Buenavista.Indicted
with Javier are Patonongon Mayor Johnny Bacongallo, then vice mayor; Henry
Mondejar, then mayor of the town; Efren Esclavilla, chairman of GRAND Coop;
and, then Patnongon councilors Gemma Cepeda, Thomas Bacaoco, Al Brian Crespo,
Felix Barrientos, Rene Cayetano and Teopisto Estaris.The case stemmed from a
complaint filed by a certain Rosenda Estaris through a text message, requesting
for an investigation of the officials of Patnongon for the purchase of a rice
mill machinery in the municipality.“In this case, there is sufficient evidence
to indict respondents of the crime charged when they conspired with each other
to ensure the full transfer of ownership, operation and maintenance of the rice
mill machinery to GRAND Coop, a private entity, using government funds…,” the
Ombudsman said.
The graft body said there was a manifest partiality, evident bad
faith or gross inexcusable negligence in the concerted acts of respondents to
ensure the execution of the plans and directives of Javier to give the 40-ton
rice mill machinery to GRAND Coop without financial consideration.The Ombudsman
identified some of the officers of GRAND Coop as Javier’s late
vice-gubernatorial running-mate Bob Operiano; liaison officer Angel Capadocia;
and Esclavilla and Hernanny Abelo who ran as mayor of Jose and SP member,
respectively, under the political party of the congressman.In their sworn
affidavits, meanwhile, witnesses Robert Talidong, Rodolfo Balontong and Erlinda
Almine and respondents Mondejar and Barrientos admitted that it was the
“express instruction” of Javier that the rice mill machinery be given to GRAND
Coop.
The fact that the rice mill machinery was delivered by ALHEED
International Trading Corporation to the town of Hamtic, 24 kilometers away,
and not in Patnongon, “already predetermined the ultimate end-user of the
machinery from the inception of the project,” the graft body said.While the
GRAND Coop was only accredited by the Municipality of Patnongon on Jan. 12,
2007, it was already chosen to be the recipient of the Php10 million project
less than one month later even when it was not involved in operating a rice
mill.The graft court also established that the Department of Agriculture (DA)
in Region 6 was made a convenient conduit to receive the PDAF funds of Javier,
a scheme similar to the controversial Janet Napoles Php10-billion pork barrel
scandal that dragged into the mess several legislators.Javier is also facing a
string of cases in the Ombudsman, including a multi-million peso plunder case
filed by two popular radio commentators and broadcasters of Antique. PNA / northboundasia.com
http://northboundasia.com/2016/03/11/ex-gov-javier-mayor-9-others-indicted-php10-m-rice-mill-scam/#sthash.KoegYzMB.dpuf|
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