Agri Partylist Rep. Wilbert Lee called for stiffer penalties for those behind the illegal importation of white onions, warning them of the day when they will face the wrath of the people.
“Pero sabi nga nila, ‘kapag puno na ang salop, kinakalos.’ May araw din kayo. Dapat pang pabigatin ang parusa sa mga tulad ninyong abusado. Pagbabayaran din ninyo ang kabulastugan at panlalamang ninyo sa Pilipino (But as they say, ‘when the bucket is full, the excess is shaved off.’ Your day will come. Penalties should be stiffer for abusers like you. You will pay for your wrongful act and greed against Filipinos),” he said in a statement.
This came after Senator Imee Marcos blasted the Department of Agriculture (DA) for its plan to import white onions amid claims that there is a shortage of supply.
The senator said the DA has not presented inventories of the crop vis-a-vis its planting and harvest seasons.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s sister bared the plan after the Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized some P36 million worth of onions in Misamis Oriental that have been misdeclared as spring roll patti and plain churros.
READ: BOC finds P36M smuggled onions from Chinese shipments
Lee lambasted those behind the illegal importation of white onions as it adversely impacts the livelihood of farmers.
“Wala silang patawad sa mga pilit pa lang bumabangon mula sa pandemya at sunod-sunod na sakuna (They don’t care at all about those who strive to recover from the pandemic and continuous crisis),” he said.
The lawmaker alleged that those behind the planned illegal entry of white onions obviously “manipulate” the supply and prices in the market in order to import thousands of tons of supplies to pad their pockets.
“Mga certified gahaman na nagpapakasasa habang nagdurusa ang marami nating kababayan (These are certified greedy indulging while our fellowmen are suffering),” Lee said.