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CHARGES of economic sabotage, an unbailable offense,
may be slapped against unscrupulous owners of rice warehouses found
hoarding the commodity to create an artificial shortage and jack up
prices.
Justice Secretary Raul
Gonzalez said Sunday that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)
is now closely coordinating with the Department of Agriculture,
which has direct supervision over the National Food Authority (NFA),
for additional information in building its case against rice
hoarders and their cohorts within the NFA.
“Charges of economic
sabotage could be filed against those who are hoarding large
quantities of rice. It is part of the investigation that the NBI is
doing now,” Gonzalez told The Manila Times.
The NBI, the justice chief
added, is also looking into the possible involvement of some NFA
personnel with rice hoarders.
Reports indicated that rice
cartels in connivance with some NFA personnel have been cornering
government-subsidized rice being sold by the NFA. The syndicate
repacks and sells these stocks at a much higher price in the retail
market.
The anomaly in NFA’s rice
distribution is nothing new and has been in existence long before
the appointment of Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap to the Cabinet.
Yap admitted that prices of rice
have gone up in the international market but maintained that there
is no rice shortage in the country. The country imports some two
million metric tons of rice every year.
Gonzales said the perceived rice
shortage is giving the government a lot of headaches and offenders
should be hailed in court.
The Justice chief said that
rice hoarders are not alone to blame, referring to the alleged
involvement of some corrupt NFA personnel.
President Gloria Arroyo had
earlier ordered an investigation on the sudden surge of rice prices
in the market, warning that the government will clamp down on rice
hoarders to arrest the situation.
--William B. Depasupil
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