AMID mounting evidence of the potential hoarding of agricultural goods like rice and onions, AGRI Rep. Wilbert T. Lee on Friday strongly backed the campaign Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez to enforce the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act to punish smugglers, hoarders, price manipulators and government employees and officials who take part in this crime, and reiterated the urgency of passing a pending measure strengthening the said law.

According to the Bicolano legislator, “when these criminals hoard vital agri products like rice and onions to increase prices and earn larger profits, they are profiting off the hunger of our impoverished countrymen.”

Last Monday, Speaker Romualdez, head of the 312-member House of Representatives, conducted a ‘surprise’ inspection of two markets in Quezon City to monitor the prices of onion, rice, and other basic commodities following reports of price increases in some areas.

Prior to his surprise visit in Commonwealth Market, Speaker Romualdez was accompanied by ACT-CIS Party-list Reps. Erwin Tulfo and Edvic Yap in visiting Mega Q Mart in Cubao, Quezon City to inspect the actual operations of vendors and to see what’s causing the surge in prices of some agricultural products.

This developed as Speaker Romualdez also warned hoarders of basic commodities of possible prosecution.

The inspection, Speaker Romualdez added, was also to give warning not only to hoarders but also to government agencies including the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Agriculture (DA), and other concerned agencies, that they are strictly monitoring the prices in the market.

Speaker Romualdez has sought a “renewed campaign” to bring down the price of onion in the market, following monitoring reports that hoarders are active in price manipulation.

The Speaker also directed the officials of the Bureau of Plant and Industry (BPI) to report to his office so they can explain to him and other House leaders why hoarders are able to manipulate the price of onion once again.

Lee is the author of House Bill (HB) No. 5742 or the “Anti-Agricultural Smuggling and Economic Sabotage Act of 2016.”.

HB No. 5742 aims to (1) include the other unlawful act of market abuses; and (2) modify a stricter penalty to those public officials or employees who tolerate and protect large-scale agricultural smuggling, and other market abuses, namely but not limited to, hoarding, profiteering, or cartel in the country.

The penalty of up to life imprisonment and a fine of up to twice the fair value of the smuggled agricultural product or the product subject to hoarding, profiteering, or cartel and the aggregate amount of the taxes, duties and other charges avoided plus interest at the prevailing legal rate shall be imposed on any person who violates the law.

Speaker Romualdez earlier said that the House would prioritize the passage of the proposed amendments to the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act in the Second Regular Session of the 19th Congress after the prices of onions surged last month.

In a related development, Marikina City Rep. Stella Quimbo, in a memorandum transmitted to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., said there is “substantial” evidence that a cartel is behind rising onion prices.

At a press conference on Monday, on the other hand, Department of Agriculture (DA) Assistant Secretary and deputy spokesman Rex Estoperez announced that the agency’s Inspectorate and Enforcement group would inspect warehouses amid allegations of manipulation of stocks to justify increases in retail prices of rice.

“Pag nahuli ang mga salarin at mga kasabwat nila sa gobyerno, and we put an end to smuggling, price manipulation and hoarding, Winner Tayo Lahat dahil maiiwasan natin ang mga artificial prices increases na lalong nagpapabigat sa pasanin at paghihirap ng ating mga kababayan.”