Six persons to be charged for profiteering, hoarding onions

The National Bureau of Investigation recommends the filing of charges against six persons, three of them government officials, before the Department of Justice for alleged hoarding and profiteering in the sale of onions last December as prices go up to as much as P587 per kilo.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla said the recommendation to prosecute the six hoarders and profiteers was made by the NBI which conducted the probe.

The DOJ chief though did not reveal the identities of those recommended for formal investigation pending the evaluation to be done by the DOJ's national prosecution service.

The NBI's probe on the prices and supply of onions were ordered by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., said Remulla.

Remulla said aside from hoarding and profiteering, the violations may lead to price manipulation and economic sabotage, a capital offense.

He said, "Government officials are among those recommended for prosecution because we believe that they are also involved."

Remulla said it is just the start and there will be more cases to be filed as the NBI continues with its investigation.

DOJ Undersecretary Geronimo L. Sy said the recommendation of the NBI stemmed from the overpriced onions sold in the market back in December that reached up to P537 per kilo even if the farmgate price or cost of production was only between P8 to P15 per kilo.

He said that due to a lack of supply, the Department of Agriculture procured back in December 8,000 bags of onions of 25 kilos per bag.

Sy said there was payment for actual deliveries from funds downloaded from the DA. However, the investigators found out that there was only one bidder who submitted three bids. "The other bids were fictitious so that the preferred bidder would win in the bidding process," Sy explained.