CROP TO CRY FOR | The once lowly onion has been in high demand since late last year, even with soaring prices due to smuggling and overpricing by traders. Consumers line up on Tuesday at the Department of Agriculture’s Kadiwa Store in Quezon City which sold the commodity at more reasonable prices. (Photo by NIÑO JESUS ORBETA / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines – The Office of the Ombudsman has summoned officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) over their procurement of some P140 million worth of onions from a Nueva Ecija cooperative at P537 per kilogram and the decision to import the produce just when the local harvest season is about to start.
The antigraft body will also investigate DA and FTI officials concerning lingering allegations of price manipulation, according to DA deputy spokesperson Rex Estoperez, who confirmed that the summonses were received on Tuesday by some officials of the agency, where President Marcos concurrently sits as the secretary.
The investigation was announced by Ombudsman Samuel Martires in a radio interview earlier in the day.
Based on the DA’s monitoring on Tuesday, the prices of onions remained at P420 to P600 per kilogram, way above the suggested retail price of P250 per kilogram set by the Department of Trade and Industry in December last year. The price went as high as P700 per kilo during the Christmas season.
Government-run Kadiwa stores are offering the bulbs at only P170 per kilogram.
Ombudsman Samuel Martires
Estoperez said the DA would respond to the summons in due time and that the concerned officials would cooperate in the investigation.
“We respect the investigation as this is a duty of the Ombudsman and all concerned officials of the DA in this matter will comply with this inquiry,” he noted.