Sen. Imee Marcos (Senate PRIB photo / Bibo Nueva España)
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Imee Marcos told the police on Thursday to stop the alleged harassment of onion farmers, especially those who have appeared in Senate hearings on the high prices of onions.
On Monday, Merly Gallardo testified in the Senate committee on agriculture hearing that her husband committed suicide amid debts. The panel learned that at least five onion farmers in Pangasinan had committed suicide amid the present state of the industry.
According to Marcos, the local police went to Gallardo’s house in Pangasinan and asked her to recant her Senate testimony.
“Hands off lang po sa mga testigo ng Senado! Natatakot na ang mga magsasaka ng sibuyas sa biglaang pagkakatok ng pulis kagabi hanggang ngayong umaga upang papirmahin ng sinumpaang salaysay na nagbabaliktad sa kanilang ibinunyag sa Senado nung Martes,” Marcos said in a statement.
(Hands off, Senate witnesses! Onion farmers are worried about the sudden visit of police from last night until this morning and allegedly being asked to sign sworn statements withdrawing what they said in the Senate.)
The senator said the order was issued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac).
“CPP-NPA (Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army) ba ang turing natin sa maliliit na magsasaka sa liblib? Hands off po sa ating mga testigo, lalu’t nagsasabi ng totoo, masakit man marinig,” she added.
(Why are we treating our farmers like they are members of the CPP-NPA? Hands off our witnesses, especially those who are telling the truth, even if it is hard to hear.)
During the Senate panel hearing, an agriculturist from Occidental Mindoro said onions, now sold at P700 a kilo in markets were bought from farmers for only P8 to P15 per kilo.