Philippine Coconut Authority Administrator Avelino Andal has been suspended by the PCA Governing Board led by its chairperson Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr. due to corruption allegations.
In a Board Resolution issued last March 15 and signed by Evasco and board members Edicio dela Torre, Alan Tanjuakio, and Romulo dela Rosa, Andal was preventively suspended “as a means of enabling the disciplining authority to conduct an unhampered investigation” of the recent events involving him.
“The Board unanimously agrees that the investigation is warranted,” it also said.
Andal said he was surprised by the Board decision, noting that he was informed about the suspension order through a text message at about 9 p.m. last Friday.
“I never expected that a resolution by the Board would be issued in the absence of a set board meeting where the agenda is not clear, and venue and time are not clear. They issued a resolution where there was no meeting held,” Andal said. (Ellalyn V. Ruiz)