Jayvee Mhar Viloria  

The Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed that the six suspects involved in the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) complaint for onion hoarding and profiteering are former and current government officials.

6 gov't officials involved in onion smuggling – DOJ
Photo Courtesy of George Calvelo/ABS-CBN News / DOJ/Facebook

In an interview with CNN's The Source yesterday, Justice Secretary Boying Remulla said hearings in Congress regarding the onion price manipulation case of these officials are already ongoing.

"Current and past [government officials]. I think there are six parties that are being asked to answer the complaints by the panel of prosecutors," Remulla answered when asked about the identity of the accused.

The DOJ secretary, however, declined to disclose the names of the six government officials involved in the smuggling case.

"I cannot name them because it is still a complaint filed, but many of them are government officials," he said.

Additionally, Remulla said they are collaborating with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in investigating the rice smuggling incidents in the country.

"We are coordinating with the Bureau of Customs with regards to smuggling cases we are filing,” said the secretary.

Furthermore, he urged the BOC to furnish the necessary documents for the investigation, cautioning the agency to cooperate, or they would be reported to the Office of the Ombudsman. 

“Kapag hindi nakipag-cooperate ang kahit anong party dito, dadalhin namin sa Ombudsman kapag ito po ay nasa gobyerno,” he warned. “Wala pong pwedeng tumanggi na tumulong sa DOJ pagdating po sa paghahabol ng mga taong sangkot sa pag-aangkat ng iligal na mga agricultural products dito sa ating bansa.”

Previously, President Bongbong Marcos Jr. has certified Senate Bill 2432 – a bill imposing severe sanctions on people involved in agricultural economic sabotages, such as hoarding and smuggling – as urgent.


Edited by KZ Galvan

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Jayvee Mhar Viloria is a BS in Development Communication student at the University of the Philippines Los Baños. He was the Editor-in-Chief of The Brook 2019, the official school publication of Gov. Luis A. Ferrer Jr. East National High School. Since 2014, he has been a campus news writer and joined various press conferences in Cavite and CALABARZON.