MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE) President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo visited the Department of Justice (DoJ) anew to follow up the cases against suspected rice hoarders and said she was satisfied with the agency’s efforts, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said Wednesday.

However, DoJ documents showed that charges of illegal price manipulation through hoarding, and unauthorized possession of government rice against 13 rice traders have been dropped.

Despite this, Gonzalez said Arroyo expressed satisfaction over the DoJ’s actions.

The traders against whom the hoarding charges were dropped are against Anthony Choi Angeles, Meynardo Guerra, Sofia Guzman, Prestifero Prado, Leonides Manalo, Lydia Supremido, Francisco Dio, Mary Ann Magno, Geonell Vin Centeno, Delia Barreda, Arnel Lagonoy, Eleanor Rodriguez and Romeo Mariano Jr.

Instead, the DoJ, in an 11-page resolution approved by Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito Zuño, filed cases of alleged violation several provisions of Presidential Decree No. 4 and Revised Rules and Regulations on Grains Business against seven of the 13 traders.

Facing a case of diversion are Dio, Magno, Centeno and Barreda. Rodriguez is facing a case for lack of signboard, together with Mariano, and another case for lack of guaranty bond and fire insurance.

Arroyo’s stay at the DoJ was brief, only around five minutes during which she was briefed by Gonzalez on the charges.

To be able to file a case for hoarding, the DoJ said a person must have 50 percent more stocks of any basic necessity than the usual inventory, and unreasonably limits or fails to sell these stocks to the general public.

“In all of the complaints, there was utter failure to prove that respondents had rice stocks of more than 50-percent of their usual inventory,” the DoJ said.