MANILA, March 21 -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) assured the reopening of temporarily closed rice warehouses, following the preventive suspension of 141 officials and employees of the National Food Authority (NFA).

In a statement, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said it is necessary to reopen the warehouses amid the peak harvest season.

"We will ensure that all padlocked warehouses will be opened soonest to optimize the impact of NFA's procurement activities on rice farmers' income as well as secure the maximum volume of palay for buffer stocking," he said.

Laurel also ordered the transfer of authority over the warehouses from suspended warehouse supervisors to their deputies, so they may facilitate the reopenin...