Romualdez warns ‘evil’ onion, garlic hoarders: ‘We are breathing down your necks’
The Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the Bureau of Customs recently seized around 300 tons in raids conducted in warehouses in Manila and Malabon.
MANILA, Philippines — House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has renewed his stern warning against suspected hoarders of onion and garlic and hailed the efforts of various law enforcement agencies in cracking down on the rampant practice.
Romualdez issued the warning after an inter-agency task force led by the Bureau of Customs and the Philippine National Police confiscated 300 tons of imported onion and garlic in separate raids of warehouses in Manila and Malabon.
“I reiterate my warning to these evil hoarders and unscrupulous businessmen. We are breathing down your necks. Tuldukan na ninyo ang mga gawain na nagpapahirap sa ating mga kababayan (Put an end to these activities of yours that are only plaguing the Filipino people),” he said in a statement on Wednesday.
Romualdez pointed out that hoarding produces and added burden to the people who have to bear with rising prices amid a rising inflation rate.
“Inaasahan natin na magtutuloy-tuloy ang kampanyang ito laban sa mapagsamantala (We expect that the campaign against these abusive hoarders will be sustained),” he added.
Romualdez earlier ordered the House committee on agriculture and food to probe the spike in prices of onion and garlic due to “unscrupulous traders who are hoarding such products to create an artificial supply shortage.”
Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo had filed House Resolution No. 681, which seeks an investigation into the alleged cartel and anti-competitive practices in the onion industry amid the still-rising prices of onions in the local market.
Quimbo pointed out that allegations of onion cartels controlling supply and the possibility of hoarding white onions were flagged by citizens and policymakers as early as August 2022.
Based on the latest price monitoring of the Department of Agriculture, concurrently headed by Romuladez’s cousin, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., local red onions are being sold in markets at around P120 to P200 per kilogram, while local white onions fetch P90 to P160 per kilo.
While it has no available data on the price of local garlic, DA noted that imported garlic is pegged at P90 to P130.
