Economic sabotage case eyed vs garlic cartel

By: Tetch Torres-Tupas - 10 years ago

Justice Secretary Leila De Lima. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Justice is eyeing the filing of economic sabotage case against the group responsible for the spike of prices of garlic in the country.

Justice Secretary Leila De Lima said the National Bureau of Investigation is already working on a case build-up following the recommendations and findings of the DOJ’s Office for Competition.

The OFC report earlier recommended that the NBI pursue the leads and gather further evidence against personalities such as importer-trader Lilia M. Cruz as well as officials of the Bureau of Plant Industry who it added may have been in collusion with the cartel behind the high prices of garlic in the country.

“The NBI is working on it. Kasi known siya (Cruz) within the circle, within the industry and it’s also part of the recommendation for further case build-up. Kasi ang findings ng OFC are based on research, interviews and information from certain informants within the industry,” De Lima said.

The OFC report described Cruz as the one who cornered at least 75 percent of the total garlic importation in the country using import permits issued by the BPI.

It added that she used a web or series of dummy entities to maximize the number of Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary Import Clearance or SPSIC that she would get.

It further said that in 2013 alone, more than 300 SPSICs were issued to cooperatives, associations and importers affiliated with Cruz.

Aside from Cruz, the OFC said three other individuals it did not name were also engaged in the same modus operandi though in a smaller scale.

De Lima said the NBI is now investigating the criminal liabilities of the personalities involved.

As to the other personalities who were not identified in the report, she said the NBI is still validating their involvement in the cartel.

Among the other charges being eyed by the authorities against those involved in the cartel are violation of the Price Act and the Revised Penal Code, especially for violation of the anti-monopoly provision.

De Lima explained the economic sabotage case will depend on the amount involved and its effect on the economy.

“Good example ng economic sabotage ay syndicated estafa. Kung may amount involved na substantial pwedeng i-categorize sya, lalo na kung may effect talaga sa ekonomiya. So depende sa circumstances and on how substantial the amount are. Ito kasi sa imports so pwede rin yan siguro ma-consider though it is for further study pa,” she added.