Transcript of interview with Sen. Cynthia Villar
(hearing on NFA rice supply)

Villar: Ayaw nilang magbigay ng importation today kasi March is the harvest season. Tapos may dadating na 300 something na bigas, baka ma-oversupply ang rice.

Q: Nagpabaya ang NFA?

Villar: Alam mo, talagang ganyan ang gobyerno. We have mandates, we have rules but in the end, it's the implementation. Kapag hindi maganda ang implementation, wala rin ang lahat ng solution natin.

Q: Amenable kayo to increase buying price of NFA?

Villar: Ako amenable up to 18 para hindi naman masyadong tumaas para na lang pagbigyan sila kasi palagi nilang ginagawang reason iyon. Para mawala na ang reason. Ako, I think if you work harder, you can do it.

Q: Saan ang possible source ng magiging additional if ever?

Villar: May pera naman ang NFA and besides, hindi dahil bumili ka ng ganyan lugi ka kasi pinagbibili mo rin. Nababawi mo rin iyon. You just have to sell it at a higher price.

Q: Kung 18 pesos nila binili magkano ibebenta?

Villar: Siguro mga 30 to 34 na iyan, hindi na 27 to 30.

Q: What do you think of Jason Aquino's management of NFA?

Villar: It's those managing the country; we are just investigating and we're just having hearings but for people to listen and to judge, it's for them to decide. It's not the decision of the Senate to decide whether an agency will be removed or a person will be removed. Hindi amin iyon, we're just having a hearing. And maybe it's for you, the people to decide who is at fault.

Q: Hindi ba masyadong matagal yung June?

Villar: We are recommending that they increase the buying price to 18, that's one way. We are asking them to request the President to issue an executive order to give to NFA those smuggled rice na nasa port. We have smuggled rice in Zamboanga, we have smuggled rice in Subic, we have smuggled rice in Cebu na libo-libong metric tons. I-donate na lang sa NFA para matapos na ang shortage ng NFA. Kaysa ibi-bid nila, ang maka-bid din iyong nag-smuggle. I-donate na lang sa NFA para matapos na ang problema ng NFA.

Q: Ilan ang smuggled na iyan?

Villar: Malaki. More than 100,000 metric tons.

Q: Iyong pagtaas sa buying price temporary lang iyon o magiging permanent na iyon?

Villar: Sa akin okay lang na permanent na iyon para matapos na ang reason na iyon. It's always the reason. Ang sakin para mawalan ng reason.

Q: Wala nang P27 na NFA?

Villar: Kasi for palay that you bought at 18 per kilo, X 65, mga 28 na iyon. Syempre may gastos ka pa rin so the range would be 30 to 34. Mawawala na ang 27, tinaas mo na ang buying price. Kaya nga ayaw nating itaas para mura kaso sabi nila wala silang nabibili at 17.

Q: Do you think the shortage forced NFA Council to import?

Villar: There is no shortage of rice. There is shortage in the buffer stock of NFA. We have to be clear on that. Nagpa-panic ang mga tao kapag sinabi ninyong shortage. There is no shortage, hindi lang nakabili ng buffer stock ang NFA.

Q: Ang failure ng NFA na iyon na bumili ng buffer stock is what pressured NFA Council para payagan silang mag-import?

Villar: Hindi ko alam kung iyon nga ang reason. Maybe that is a reason.

Q: Ngayon ano ang nakikita ninyong liability ng mga taga NFA?

Villar: They failed to do their mandate.

Q: Ano ang pwedeng sanction sa kanila?

Villar: Inappoint sila ng President. It's for the president to decide kung ano ang sanction, maybe papagalitan sila or tatanggalin sila or they will be given another chance to do it. It's not my prerogative.

Q: Ire-recommned mo ba iyon?

Villar: Hindi ako nagre-recommend. Basta ako naghi-hearing lang ako. It's for them to decide what is better. Mahirap magrecommend baka sabihin nila biased ako gusto ko lang gumawa ng problema.

Q: On the case of Davidson Bangayan, may mga ipapatawag pa kayo?

Villar: May mga cases filed against them, may report. Maybe next time. Hindi dumating ang Department of Justice kaya hindi natin sila matanong kung ano ang nagyari sa kaso but based on reports sa amin, may ipinile na case sa kanila. We will see. Kasi iba iyong nagfile ng case at iba rin iyong naimplement iyong law. Large-scale agricutural smuggling is economic sabotage and non-bailable. So kung talagang gugustuhun nila, kaya nilang ipakulong. So makikita natin kung may ipapakulong. Kung walang napakulong, that means walang nagyari.

Q: Kailan magiging available sa market ang murang bigas?

Villar: Ngayon if they increase to 18 baka makabili na sila and at the same time maibigay iyong na-confiscate sa port na smuggled rice sa NFA para meron sila agad rice. I hope gawin nila agad ito.