Solons: More answers needed after House probe unveils extent of ‘Sibuyas Queen’s’ influence

SO intricate was the web of controversies unraveled by the House Committee on Agriculture and Food during its agricultural hoarding probe that answers must be sought from all possible venues, said panel chairman, Quezon 1st District Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga.

This, even as Marikina City 2nd district Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo urged law enforcement and regulatory agencies to take a close look at the findings out the panel in order to build an airtight case against those who have blatantly burdened consumers with the absurdly high prices of onions in late 2022.

After nine marathon hearings of the committee on the onion price surge, Quimbo was able to piece together an “Onion matrix” detailing the depth of Sibuyas Queen Leah Cruz’s influence and control over onion importation, cold storage facilities, and trucking companies.

“I think this time mas malakas po ang ebidensiya na nagli-link na naman sa kanila,” Enverga told reporters in a joint press conference with Quimbo.

According to Enverga, Cruz was able to have her way in the onion industry even before current administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

It is for this reason that Enverga thinks officials like former DA secretary William Dar, Marcos’ predecessor in the department, has some explaining to do.

“Based on the diagram presented by Cong. Stella Quimbo, former Sec. Dar has a lot of explaining to do,” Enverga said in an interview.

“Katulad ng sinabi rin ni Cong. Stella for a cartel to fly kinakailangan may kasama rin sa gobyerno, hindi mangyayari ang cartel o hindi magiging successful iyung operations kung walang kasabwat,” Enverga said during a press conference.

Quimbo said that Cruz’s extended group companies accounted for a whopping 68..74 percent of the total imported volume for yellow granex or white onions in 2022. This amounted to 5,445.66 metric tons.

For red onions, the importers controlled by Cruz hauled an even bigger 7,648 MT, or 41 percent of the total imported volume last year.

“Klaro na patuloy siyang nag import ng sibuyas despite all her denials. Nagsinungaling siya sa atin sa Kongreso bagamat siya ay under oath,” Quimbo said in a press conference of Cruz, also known as Lilia Cruz.

“Ang katanungan, paano napayagan ng Bureau of Plants Industry (BPI) na patuloy na makapag-import si Leah Cruz despite being blacklisted. May nagbubulag-bulagan ba o lantarang nakikipag-sabwatan ang BPI sa pandaraya sa taumbayan?” She asked.

The BPI is an attached agency of the DA and is in charge with monitoring the state of onion supply in the country. The hearings have shown that the BPI was remiss in preventing the onion price surge due to failed interventions.

“Kung sa unang hearing, si Leah Cruz ay denial queen, by hearing no. 9, para sa amin, siya ang undisputed Sibuyas Queen,” the Marikina solon and Committee on Appropriations vice chairperson said,

“Kaya nananawagan po kami sa NBI (National Bureau of Investigation), PCC (Philippine Competition Commission), at sa enforcement unit dito sa loob ng DA, sana po, pagtulungan po natin lahat–or pagtulungan niyo po at this point, nasa inyo na po ang bola–balatan po ninyo ang onion cartel,” appealed Quimbo.

At any rate, Enverga and Quimbo credited President Marcos for giving attention to the cartel problem through House Speaker Martin Romualdez. It can be recalled that Speaker Romualdez ordered the House inquiry last February in order to give the public answers about the shocking onion price surge.

“Itong cartel na ito, alam naman natin na matagal na matagal na talaga itong problemang ito. At kung ngayon lang talaga natin finally, kahit paano nakita na natin yung tip of the ice berg…feeling ko ngayong lang talaga natin nalagyan ng handle itong problem na ito. Hindi tayo aabot sa ganitong punto kung hindi dahil sa suporta ng President through Speaker Martin [Romualdez],” Quimbo said.