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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DOJ, NBI should file economic sabotage raps vs criminals in onion cartel--solon

DOJ, NBI should file economic sabotage raps vs criminals in onion cartel--solon

Published Jul 5, 2023 10:40 am
Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co (Rep. Co's office)



A ranking congressman says the Department of Justice (DOJ) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) should pursue charges of economic sabotage against crime syndicates in connection with its probe on the alleged onion cartel. Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, says the economic sabotage raps should be filed "if warranted", noting that these criminals "prey on hapless consumers and farmers". On Tuesday, July 4, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. ordered the DOJ and NBI to investigate the smuggling, hoarding, and price manipulation of onion and other agricultural commodities. This was roughly a month after the House Committee on Agriculture and Food concluded its inquiry on the smuggling of agricultural products, particularly onions. A lot of the information that will be used by the DOJ and NBI in its probe will be based on the House panel's findings. Co said the President’s order for law enforcement agencies to go after agri smugglers was "timely" in the face of rising prices of commodities. The second term solon also expressed his gratitude to President Marcos "for recognizing the hard work of Congress, especially Speaker Martin Romualdez, [Quezon] Congressman Mark Enverga and [Marikina] Congresswoman Stella Quimbo who earlier unmasked the criminal syndicates behind unabated agricultural smuggling and hoarding". He further said that the Palace directive to investigate and prosecute smugglers, hoarders and price manipulators shows Marcos' "firm resolve to end serious economic crimes that victimize millions of ordinary Filipinos".

Related Tags

Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr. Ako Bicol party-list onion cartel economic sabotage zaldy co
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