Manila, March 12 -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday said it has been working closely with the Office of the Ombudsman amid the ongoing probe into alleged corruption within the National Food Authority (NFA).

"I can confidently say that since I assumed office, we have worked tirelessly to clean our ranks. We have been fully cooperative with the Ombudsman. And this has been attested to in its ongoing investigations into alleged corruption within the DA," Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a statement.

Tiu Laurel made the remark after Ombudsman Samuel Martires clarified his statement on the "most corrupt government agency" purportedly referring to the DA-NFA, saying his words were "taken out of context."...