MANILA, Philippines—Malacañang on Thursday said it is determined to ease the recent price hikes and punish those who are found to have artificially manipulated market prices.
“Tuloy-tuloy pa rin ‘yung pagtutok ng ating pamahalaan sa presyo at supply ng mga pangunahing food items at buo ang kahandaan na usigin, panagutin sila, dalhin sila hustisya at patawan ng karampatang parusa kapag napatunayang sila ay lumahok sa hoarding, profiteering at cartel-like activities,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a televised press briefing.
(The government continues to monitor the prices and supply of our basic food items and is determined to investigate, hold accountable, bring to the bar of justice and punish those who are proven to have engaged in hoarding, profiteering and cartel-like activities.)
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He said the raid on a warehouse in Marilao, Bulacan, on Thursday morning was part of the government’s campaign against such acts.
Operatives of the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group found thousands of sacks of National Food Authority (NFA) rice in the warehouse, which were being repacked as commercial rice. The repacked NFA rice were being sold at high prices.
Coloma said President Benigno Aquino III already directed the Department of Justice, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization to intensify efforts against artificial manipulation of prices.
Consumers have been complaining of rising prices of basic commodities during the past several weeks. From P80 per kilo, the price of garlic rose to P300 per kilo.
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