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By Julmunir I. Jannaral, Correspondent
COTABATO CITY: Rice hoarders within the
provinces of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) were
warned again on Tuesday of prosecution under the law as reports
reached the seat of the autonomous region that there are still
unscrupulous businessmen controlling the supply of rice.
Datu Sajid Druz Ali, secretary of ARMM
Department of Agriculture said the warning came directly from ARMM
Regional Gov. Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan who directed his department to
mount efforts in determining those businessmen who are taking
advantage of the situation and adding to the hardship of consumers.
Ali said that based on the survey of his staff,
the non-NFA rice in most of the markets within the region has
reached P48 per kilo, while the NFA rice is pegged at P18 to P20 per
kilo.
Initial reports from the field point to “price
speculation” as the reason for the rising cost of rice among
farm-gate buyers and sellers, continued Ali.
As this developed, lawyer Oscar Sampulna, ARMM
executive secretary, said the regional governor advised consumers to
report directly to the proper authorities in the region any instance
of rice hoarding and speculation over prices of rice.
Sampulna also said that aside from the
region’s agriculture department, Ampatuan also issued a directive
to ARMM Department of Trade and Industry, headed by Secretary Ishak
Mastura, to determine who and which groups are behind and involved
in the skyrocketing prices of rice in the local markets, and if laws
are violated, to file appropriate charges against them.
The agriculture chief of the ARMM said that out
of the nation’s rice production last year of 15,327,314 metric
tons, the ARMM provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao,
Shariff Kabunsuan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi and the cities of Lamitan and
Marawi contributed 545,211 metric tons. He pointed out that ARMM has
64.8 sufficiency level and 35.2 percent deficiency level.
Ampatuan vowed to strengthen the Regional Price
Coordinating Council as part of the effort to cushion the impact of
the rising prices of rice by paving the way for a continuing
dialogue with retailers, wholesalers and consumer groups.
The council, composed of representatives from
the local government units, Philippine National Police, traders and
consumer groups, has “built-in prosecuting powers,” Sampulna
said.
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