NBI, nadiskubre ang sabwatan ng gov't employees at private corp. sa pagtaas ng presyo ng sibuyas

Transcript

00:00 The National Bureau of Investigation discovered a possible conspiracy

00:04 between a government official and a private cooperative.

00:07 That's why the price of onions went up last year.

00:11 Luis Eriz Pesa reports.

00:13 Almost two months after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

00:21 ordered to investigate who's behind the smuggling and hoarding of onions in the country,

00:26 the National Bureau of Investigation submitted their recommendation

00:32 to the Department of Justice regarding the cases that should be investigated.

00:38 Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said

00:41 that the first complaints they will receive are possible hoarding and profiteering.

00:46 This is just one of the cases that we're filing.

00:50 This is for profiteering and hoarding.

00:55 But there will be other cases that will be filed.

00:58 But the DOJ, up to the point of economic sabotage.

01:02 Based on the NBI report, the chief of the MODUS saw that

01:07 the price of onions started to go up to more than P500 in December 2022.

01:14 He was surprised because the cost of production will reach P8 to P15

01:20 and it will be far from the farmgate price.

01:24 The NBI also saw that there is a possibility of sabotage

01:28 by some government officials and a private corporation.

01:32 In December 2022, the sale of onions, about P8,000 to the FDI system from a private co-op,

01:43 was sold for more than P500.

01:46 This is not the basis for hoarding and profiteering.

01:49 As I said, there are no stocks available.

01:56 The MODUS is doing a procurement,

01:59 which means I have three bids.

02:01 But actually, three bids is one bidder.

02:04 Two bids were actually paid for issues to win the procurement.

02:08 The DOJ has not yet determined who are the people behind the hoarding.

02:13 But Remulia said that there are six names who have been involved in the investigation and some of them are government officials.

02:22 The government officials are with us because we think that they are the ones who are really behind the hoarding.

02:33 For now, the DOJ will continue to hold the NBI accountable before they continue to file complaints.

02:40 But Remulia promised that they will not stop until all the charges are brought against them and the case is brought to the court.

02:49 Luisa Erispe for the Morning Show ng Bayan, Rise and Shine, Philippines.