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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Solon likens rice, onion hoarders to the 'devil'

Solon likens rice, onion hoarders to the 'devil'

Published Aug 17, 2023 05:25 am

At A Glance

  • Likening them to the "devil", hoarders and price manipulators of agricultural goods such as rice and onions ought to be jailed for their misdeeds, AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee said on Thursday, Aug. 17. 

IMG-2f62d00159d501b0237d99ec737de464-V.jpgAGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee (Rep. Lee's office)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Likening them to the "devil", hoarders and price manipulators of agricultural goods such as rice and onions ought to be jailed for their misdeeds, AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee said on Thursday, Aug. 17. 

"When these criminals hoard vital agri products like rice and onions to increase prices and earn larger profits, they are profiting off the hunger of our impoverished countrymen," Lee, a rookie congressman in the 19th Congress, said in a statement. 

"Profiteers deserve to go to prison. Demonyo lang ang mag-iisip na okay lang magutom ang kapwa basta kumita sila (Only the likes of the devil would think that it's okay for your countrymen to go hungry for as long as you rake in profits), he said." 

The Sorsogon native made these remarks amid seemingly increasing evidence of hoarding of rice and onions, which have been on the rise in terms of retail prices. 

Lee is the author of House Bill ( HB) No. 5742 or the “Anti-Agricultural Smuggling and Economic Sabotage Act of 2016.”. 

HB No. 5742 aims to (1) include the other unlawful act of market abuses; and (2) modify a stricter penalty to those public officials or employees who tolerate and protect large-scale agricultural smuggling, and other market abuses, namely but not limited to, hoarding, profiteering, or cartel in the country. 

The penalty of up to life imprisonment and a fine of up to twice the fair value of the smuggled agricultural product or the product subject to hoarding, profiteering, or cartel and the aggregate amount of the taxes, duties and other charges avoided plus interest at the prevailing legal rate shall be imposed on any person who violates the law.  

House Speaker Martin Romualdez earlier said that the House would prioritize the passage of the proposed amendments to the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act in Second Regular Session of the 19th Congress after the prices of onions surged last month.

Related Tags

Wilbert T. Lee Agri Party-list hoarders
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