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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider House panel to resume agri-hoarding probe; will 'Sibuyas Queen' appear?

House panel to resume agri-hoarding probe; will 'Sibuyas Queen' appear?

Published Mar 6, 2023 02:45 am
All eyes will be on Lilia Cruz--the so-called "Sibuyas Queen (Onion Queen)"--when the House Committee on Agriculture and Food conducts its fourth hearing on the agricultural hoarding issue on Tuesday, March 7. For one thing, Cruz--also known as Leah Cruz--needs to show up, or else she'll run the risk of being cited in contempt by Cavite 4th district Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. The self-described agri-preneur skipped the previous House panel hearing last Feb. 27 as she reportedly had an important errand to attend to in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija. This information was shared to the panel by Cruz's legal counsel, lawyer Kenneth Bryan Tegio, on Feb. 28, after Bargaza pressed him for an explanation of his client's absence within 24 hours, or else. The Cavite congressman has said that he would grill Cruz on Tuesday regarding the latter's absence during the third hearing. If an invited resource person is cited in contempt by a House committee, then that committee could order his or her arrest. The person may be held in custody until he or she can answer the panel's questions satisfactorily. Cruz is being linked to the alleged hoarding of onions that led to the steep price increase in the commodity late last year. Incidentally, the businesswoman has also been implicated in the shortage of garlic in 2015. Cruz attended the first two hearings of the panel. Quezon 1st district Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga chairs the agriculture and food panel.
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