Romualdez prods authorities to pursue House probe leads on ‘onion cartel’

FILE PHOTO: The price of onions in public markets reached as high as P700 per kilogram in 2022. The government hopes prices will not spike again this year. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Sunday urged concerned authorities to follow through on leads unveiled during a House panel’s inquiry into the alleged hoarding and manipulation of prices of onion and garlic.

The House leader believed that after nine hearings, “the House has already provided good leads” that will help authorities consolidate and build an airtight case and track the people involved.

“I call on the concerned authorities like the National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine Competition Commission, and the Department of Agriculture to work together to stamp out this cartel and spare our people from further suffering caused by their unscrupulous trade practices,” he said in a statement.

Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo earlier named interconnected personalities and business entities allegedly involved in the cartel.

READ: Quimbo: Cartels exploit farmers to rule onion industry

Citing the Philippine Competition Act (PCA), Romualdez noted that unfair trade practices may be prosecuted while businesses involved in anti-competitive agreements will be penalized with a fine of P100 million and imprisonment of up to seven years.

The fines, he added, will be tripled if the violator’s transactions include agricultural products.

He then commended Quimbo for naming those allegedly involved in the supposed onion cartel and the House committee on agriculture and food for conducting investigation.

READ: House panel: Blacklisted trader runs onion ‘cartel’

“Rep. Quimbo lived up to her name and did a stellar job. Her expose is a major step forward in our efforts to bring down the prices of this essential commodity,” Romualdez said.

“But credit must also be given to the Committee on Agriculture and Food, led by Chairman and Quezon 1st District Rep. Wilfredo Mark Enverga, for its persistence in the effort to get to the bottom of this controversy,” he likewise said.

READ: Speaker Romualdez enlists DA, DTI to fight onion, agri product hoarders

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