MANILA, Philippines – The National Food Authority (NFA) is once again on guard against an alleged fake NFA administrator.
In the latest incident, a fake administrator was reportedly spreading the word among private rice importers that he was selling import permits. The incident was reported to real NFA administrator Renan Dalisay on Thursday, July 8.
Import permits are highly-valued since they are only given to a few private rice importers who pass the requirements for NFA accreditation. Only these companies are allowed to import until the collective maximum volume of 20,000 metric tons of rice for private rice importation.
The application period for import permits began last July 1 and will end on July 30.
More than 10 incidents of a fake administrator have been reported to Dalisay since he was appointed to his position in November 2014.
“We’ve been trying to catch this guy. The incidents began two weeks into my appointment. It’s on and off. He would be quiet for a while and then he would call up again,” Dalisay told Rappler in a mix of English and Filipino.
Dalisay has reported the fake administrator to the National Bureau of Investigation. He has also sent a memo to NFA provincial offices to be wary of calls from people claiming to be the NFA administrator.
Modus operandi
The impostor’s modus operandi is to call NFA contractors and ask them for money in exchange for ensuring their contract goes smoothly, said Dalisay.
He would get the cellular phone numbers of the contractors by first calling the NFA provincial offices by landline.
“I’ve told the provincial managers that I don’t call by landline,” said Dalisay.
The bogus administrator has called up trucking contractors and warehouse contractors, asking for money and their silence.
Rappler was able to obtain a recording of one such phone call that took place last January. The phone conversation was recorded by Bernard Gonzales, an NFA trucking contractor operating in Zamboanga.
Listen to the phone call below: