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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Romualdez dismayed over DA execs' alleged hand in onion price spike

Romualdez dismayed over DA execs' alleged hand in onion price spike

Published Oct 12, 2023 10:31 am

At A Glance

  • House Speaker Martin Romualdez has expressed dismay over the reported involvement of Department of Agriculture (DA) officials in the hoarding of onions and price manipulation of the commodity during the latter part of 2022. 

IMG-88e987a2e8e204dc6610a20c98521bda-V.jpgHouse Speaker Martin Romualdez (Speaker’s office)

House Speaker Martin Romualdez has expressed dismay over the reported involvement of Department of Agriculture (DA) officials in the hoarding of onions and price manipulation of the commodity during the latter part of 2022.

“As public officers, we are expected to protect our people, not to make them suffer from abusive and illegal practices,” Romualdez said in a statement Thursday, Oct. 12.

Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla had announced that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) filed charges against six alleged perpetrators of the onion price spike--three of them DA officials.

The DA officials charged with violation of Republic Act (RA) No. 3019 or the Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act were DA Assistant Secretary Kristine Evangelista, Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service officer-in-charge Junibert de Sagun, and Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) Director Gerald Panganiban.

Administrative cases under the Revised Administrative Code for insufficiency and incompetence of officials duties were also filed against them.

Additionally, charges of hoarding, falsification, and profiteering were filed against Bonena Multipurpose Cooperative officials Israel Reguyal, Mary Ann dela Rosa, and Victor dela Rosa Jimenez.

“We welcome this result and we expect prosecutors to make the charges stick”, said Romualdez.

After last year's absurd price spike, which saw onions costing up to P700 a kilo, the House Speaker vowed to continue monitoring the prices of onions, rice, and other agricultural products.

“We will continue to monitor prices and we will not hesitate to exercise our power of oversight by conducting an investigation and prodding agencies so we can protect the public from high prices and inflation,” he said.

Romualdez urged the DOJ and NBI to run after government officials and private citizens suspected to have a hand in price manipulation and hoarding of basic goods.--Dexter Barro II

Related Tags

hoarding PRICE MANIPULATION Onion Martin Romualdez
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