Villar urges DOJ to file case vs. ‘garlic cartels’

Senator Cynthia Villar. PHOTO FROM SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES’ FACEBOOK PAGE

Senator Cynthia Villar on Monday called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to file a case against members of a so-called garlic cartel.

“The report is 2014, walang nafilan ng case di ba (there was no case filed right)?” Villar said at a press conference, referring to a supposed report from the Office for Competition of the DOJ.

She also pointed out that there was also no case filed against those behind rice smuggling.

Villar is the chair of the Senate committee on agriculture and food, which has been holding hearings on the rising cost of garlic.

READ: Villar scolds Bureau of Plant Industry head over garlic cartels

“The point is, there is a report, they name names, they describe the modus operandi. It was a very thick report. And why didn’t they study the report and made adjustments sa BPI (Bureau of Plant Industry)?” the senator added.

Villar said the best solution would be to help farmers learn how to be more eproductive and competitive.

“Siguro the cartel is making a lot of money so gagawin nilang lahat para hindi maka-produce ang farmer (Perhaps the cartel is making a lot of money that is why they are doing everything so that the farmers cannot produce enough garlic,” she said.

“They are influencing policies of government to prevent the farmers from producing more and and competitively because that is detrimental to their business,” Villar claimed.

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