Cavite 4th district Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. (left), and Marikina City 2nd district Rep. Stella Quimbo (MANILA BULLETIN)


Marikina City 2nd district Rep. Stella Quimbo and Cavite 4th district Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr.--arguably the two most prolific solons during the House of Representatives' inquiry on the onion price surge--have welcomed the Palace order to clamp down on the alleged onion cartel. "The President’s call to investigate the hoarding, smuggling, and price fixing of agricultural commodities is a welcome development...This is precisely the reason why the House Committee on Agriculture and Food conducted nine marathon hearings on the matter," Quimbo said in a statement. On Tuesday, July 4, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. ordered the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate the smuggling, hoarding, and price manipulation of onion and other agricultural commodities. This was on the strength of the findings of the House panel, which, through Quimbo, identified businesswoman Lillia Cruz alias "Leah Cruz" and her family-controlled firm as the key players of the alleged onion cartel. Marcos even gave special mention to the lady solon, who had written Malacañang about the strong pieces of evidence gathered during the congressional inquiry. Quimbo said she wants the cartel eradicated for causing huge burden to both Filipino farmers and consumers. "Seeing the Executive taking proactive measures brings hope that the cartel’s days will be over, sooner rather than later." "The entities involved in the alleged onion cartel also have long-standing pending cases for cartel activities involving garlic. The President’s instructions to the DOJ and NBI are expected to fast-track the ongoing investigation of the PCC (Philippine Competition Commission) on the onion cartel," she added. Barzaga--whose intense questioning of resource persons during the panel hearings produced numerous leads for the solons in unmasking the cartel--shared the same sentiments as Quimbo. "The President's order for the DOJ and the NBI to launch an investigation into the hoarding, smuggling and price manipulation of agricultural products is a welcome development which comes in the wake of the House Committee on Agriculture and Food's own investigation into the matter," he said. "It only shows the Chief Executive's seriousness in protecting the welfare of the public, especially ordinary people -- consumers and the farmers who till the land to ensure that we'll all have food to eat," noted Barzaga. He further said that the President's order "also shows that he had been following our hearings and that he recognizes the huge role it played in helping dismantle the biggest onion cartel in the country to restore the prices of agricultural products to its previous level". Quimbo is the senior vice chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations. Barzaga, on the other hand, chairs the House Committee on Natural Resources. Quezon 1st district Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga, chairman of the agriculture and food panel, has vowed to assist the DOJ and NBI in its investigation on the onion cartel.