Pinapurihan ni Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. ang naging hakbang ng National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) sa pagsasampa ng mga kasong kriminal laban sa anim na indibidwal kaugnay ng pag-iimbak at pagmamanipula ng presyo ng mga sibuyas.
Sinabi ni Barzaga na seryoso ang gobyernong Marcos na panagutin ang mga agricultural smugglers at hoarders na nagpapahirap sa ordinaryong mamayang Pilipino.
“It only shows that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is really bent on going after these agricultural smugglers and hoarders. It proves that the Chief Executive means business,” pahayag ni Barzaga na lider ng National Unity Party (NUP) lawmaker na isa ring CPA-lawyer.
Si Barzaga ay senior member ng House Committee on Agriculture and Food, na nag-iimbestiga sa price manipulation sa sibuyas at iba pang agricultural products.
Magugunita na pinaiimbestigahan ni Speaker Romualdez kasunod ng pagsirit ng presyo ng sibuyas na umabot sa P700 per kilo.
Binigyang-diin ni Barzaga na nakikipag-ugnayan sa DOJ para magpalit ng mahahalagang impormasyon kaugnay sa mga smugglers, hoarders at price manipulators.
“As a matter of fact, the majority of the information was unearthed during the House hearings. This is a long-standing national problem and perhaps, time has finally come for a real campaign against agricultural smuggling and hoarding, a modus which hurts the public tremendously.The government can get serious when it wants to and when it needs to address agricultural smuggling. This is just the tip of the iceberg and expect more agri smuggling cases to be filed in the near future,” pahayag ni Barzaga.
