MANILA, Philippines?The government is considering extending ?indefinitely? the price ceiling on basic commodities in the wake of death threats against Trade Secretary Peter Favila and an attack on the vehicle of another official of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Since the price ceiling was imposed, Favila said he had received death threats in the form of anonymous phone calls and text messages.
Favila went to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Tuesday to personally seek police assistance for DTI officials monitoring the implementation of nationwide price controls under the Price Act of 1992.
On Saturday, the rear glass window of a DTI van that Assistant Trade Secretary Angel Pelayo was using was ?smashed? in front of her office in Makati City, shortly after ?effecting the arrest? of an errant store owner in nearby Guadalupe, Favila reported to Ms Arroyo.
Price control continues
?I don?t think I can find it in my conscience to recommend a lifting (of the price control) if our people?these well-meaning public servants, these ordinary government employees?are being physically threatened,? Favila said at a media briefing in Malacańang.
Asked if the price ceiling would run indefinitely, he replied: ?Yes.?
?We are not the ones who crafted the law, but we are expected to implement the law no matter how much it hurts,? he said.
He said he was not ruling out the possibility that some of the threats were coming from big businesses opposing the government regulation.
?There were many violations,? he said. ?I just came from the President. I sought help because many of my team monitors now are being threatened. From the secretary down to the last volunteer, there are threats.?
?Be careful?
Favila said he often received phone calls from unregistered numbers. The typical message insinuated physical harm: ?Mag-ingat ka (Be careful).?
In the case of Pelayo, the DTI director for Metro Manila, it appeared that she had been followed by the attacker from Guadalupe in Makati to her office at the Trafalgar Building in Salcedo Village, according to Favila.
He said police were still investigating the attack.
Ms Arroyo promised to provide police escort to every DTI monitoring team going around to check on stores all over the country, he said.
List of violators
Favila showed reporters several pages of a ?validated? report listing stores?from the smallest corner store to supermarkets?that violated the price ceiling imposed in the aftermath of Tropical Storm ?Ondoy? (international codename: Ketsana).
He said the DTI, with the assistance of the Philippine National Police, was set to arrest the store owners, including product concessionaires, on the list.
Favila admitted receiving ?several calls? from the business sector expressing fears of a prolonged price control scheme.
Anthony Golez, deputy presidential spokesperson, said the duration of the price ceiling should not be confused with that of the nationwide state of calamity, which could run for a year.
Basic commodities
Pursuant to the Price Act, the government imposed an ?automatic price control covering basic commodities? to keep prices in check amid the devastation wrought by Ondoy, according to Favila.
The law states that ?unless sooner lifted by the President, price control of basic necessities under this section shall remain effective for the duration of the condition that brought it about, but not for more than sixty (60) days.?
Section 7 allows a ?mandated price ceiling ? on any basic necessity or prime commodity? under five conditions such as ?the impendency, existence, or effects of a calamity,? Favila said.
?Based on what I?m seeing right now, the behavior of the market, if people will avoid those unscrupulous activities and violations, then you know it will not be difficult for us to recommend a lifting,? he said. ?Just don?t violate the law and we should be OK.?
Those found guilty under the Price Act could be fined from P5,000 to P1 million or face imprisonment of 1 year to 10 years, according to Pelayo.
Since the state of calamity was declared in Metro Manila last week, the DTI has caught some supermarket chains not complying with the price ceilings, according to Pelayo.
?They have so many excuses like they did not know or there was a lack of supply. But we know it?s not true because we are in touch with manufacturers every day,? she said.
Pelayo noted that consumer complaints were ?getting worse.?
Surprise inspections
Now that the whole country is under a state of calamity, DTI teams from regional offices have begun conducting surprise inspections and enforcing DTI regulations, according to Pelayo.
The DTI has 200 personnel in Metro Manila, along with 100 operatives from the National Bureau of Investigation, who have been working overtime to ensure that prices are stable.
Pelayo, 31, said the smashing of the DTI van?s window pushed her to step up efforts against those taking advantage of consumers.
?The more they do this, the more I want to make arrests. I didn?t even want to talk about this, but we want to get the word out that ?I am not afraid of those whose toes we had stepped on,?? she told the Inquirer Tuesday.
Pelayo said her driver left the van at an open parking lot in Salcedo Village on Saturday afternoon to get relief goods at a nearby regional office. When the driver returned after 15 minutes, the van?s rear glass window had been smashed.
Lots of calls
With no witnesses to relay what had happened, she surmised that the DTI may have ruffled some feathers.
?There?s no other reason for this to happen, because in the past week we?ve charged 15 companies and individuals, both big and small fish, for overpricing. I?ve been getting a lot of calls and notes that they wanted to settle things. It?s like this in the Philippines; they will look for someone I (or DTI officials) know who can talk to me (or other officials),? she said.
Her team uses the red-plate van in daily operations, according to Pelayo.
?I think a crowbar was used to smash the window, and no valuables from the van were taken. So I think it?s job-related, especially since Tuesday (Saturday) we caught two violators,? she said.
