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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Command responsibility': Barzaga to seek mass resignation of DA execs if onion prices climb back to P600-P700 per kilo

'Command responsibility': Barzaga to seek mass resignation of DA execs if onion prices climb back to P600-P700 per kilo

Published May 10, 2023 09:16 am
Cavite 4th district Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. said that he will call for the resignation of all Department of Agriculture (DA) officials should prices of onions once again reach P600 to P700 per kilo. Barzaga, who attended the House Committee on Agriculture and Food's hearing Wednesday, May 10 on the agricultural hoarding-slash-price manipulation issue, said he follows the notion of "command responsibility". “I think the officials coming from DA should resign [if prices once again go up between P600 and P700 per kilo] sapagakat alam naman natin itong epekto ng presyo ng sibuyas (because we know how the prices of onions affect us)," he said on the sidelines of the hearing. "Nakita na natin P750 eh pag pumalo na naman ng P600 to P700 eh talagang walang ginagawa ang DA (We saw prices of up to P750, if that goes up again to P600 to P700, then the DA really isn't doing anything about it)," Barzaga, a lawyer, said. "They have been very remiss in their performance of their obligations to the prejudice of the Filipino people especially the poor," he added. The committee investigation--began back in February--was intended to determine what triggered the absurd price surge in onions in December 2022. Asked if his call for mass resignation covered the DA or just its attached agency, the Bureau of Plants Industry (BPI), the veteran lawmaker said: We follow the rule of command responsibility." "Of course, we cannot require the President to resign," he quickly noted. President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is the concurrent DA chief. Barzaga clarified that his call was for the "officials, appointed officials of the DA". Onion prices have gone down since the headline-grabbing price spike.
The Cavite solon has been among the most active interpellators in House panel probe. Asked if he was satisfied with the answers of DA and BPI officials on the hoarding issue Wednesday, the National Unity Party (NUP) stalwart said: "I'm not satisfied with the inputs of DA...Paikot-ikot lang tayo dito (We've just moving in circles here)."

Related Tags

Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr. Elpidio Barzaga onions Department of Agriculture Resignation
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