By Jeffrey Damicog
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is awaiting instructions from various Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutors on how to dispose of the medical supplies it seized from operations against hoarders and profiteers amounting to around P41.7 million.
“We are waiting for the resolution of the cases we recommended before the DOJ against the violators,” said NBI Deputy Director Ferdinand Lavin on Monday, April 20.
“We already submitted the cases before the DOJ, hence, we have to await for orders from DOJ,” the NBI spokesman added.
Lavin noted that the P41.7 million worth of medical supplies was seized from 66 operations conducted by the NBI nationwide during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) against hoarding, profiteering, and overpricing.
The items seized include alcohol, hand sanitizers, thermal scanners, surgical and face masks, and other personal protective equipment (PPE).
The NBI spokesman added that the operations also led to the arrest of 122 persons who have been charged.
Lavin said those arrested were mostly presented for inquest before prosecutors while a few underwent direct filing of charges.
Inquest is the immediate filing of charges which is done following warrantless arrests against persons who were caught in the act of committing crimes.
Those arrested were charged with violating Republic Ac 7581, the Price Act of the Philippines; R.A. 7394, Consumer Act of the Philippines; R.A. 11469, Bayanihan to Heal as One Act; and R.A. 10175, Cyber Crime Prevention Act of 2012, for online sellers.