An anti-crime and corruption watchdog has appealed to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to increase its oversight of local officials engaged in agricultural trading, citing severe conflicts of interest and rising reports of trading scams in rural provinces.

The group, Ipabitag Mo, issued the call after receiving numerous complaints from farming organizations in Central Luzon, particularly in the provinces of Nueva Ecija and Tarlac.

Ipabitag Mo executive director Apple Meneses cited that while it is not illegal for local leaders to engage in business, the group has observed a growing number of cases where the involvement of village and municipal officials in agricultural commerce has strained relations with farming communities.

Meneses said local government units are mandated to protect farmers from market exploitation and severe weather. She warned that when officials act as the traders themselves, the risk of self-interest overshadowing public service increases significantly.

Local governments should be the primary supporters of farmers, Meneses said, adding that there is a clear danger that profit motives may lead to the exploitation of the very food producers they are meant to assist.

The anti-corruption group is currently assisting a coalition of farmers and retailers in Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija, who are seeking payment for unhusked rice, locally known as palay, valued at more than P30 million.

The case allegedly involves a local barangay chairman and his son.

The group also stressed the need for a coordinated response from the national government to address these irregularities.

Given the scale of the P30 million loss in Zaragoza, the group said the situation appears to be an organized operation rather than a simple business dispute.

They urged the Interior department to look into the involvement of local politicians and city hall officers to ensure that those preying on food producers are held accountable.

To prevent further incidents and protect rural livelihoods, the watchdog group is proposing two major regulatory measures.

First, it is calling on the Interior and Agriculture departments to require all agricultural traders to register with their respective local government units for better tracking.

Second, the group is demanding active, increased scrutiny by the interior department regarding the business interests of elected leaders to ensure they do not use their public positions to facilitate unfair trading practices.