NBI-7 starts probe on ‘rice hoarding’

CEBU, Philippines — A top official of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-7 has confirmed that they are going around the region to investigate possible rice hoarding.

NBI-7 Acting Regional Director Dominador Cimafranca said that they have begun the investigation last week.

The investigation primarily covers warehouses of rice traders and distributors in Cebu Province.

“I cannot say (yet if it is positive that there is indeed rice hoarding in Cebu) kay nag-continue pa ang among inspection,” he said yesterday.

NBI-7 agents have been sent to check the inventories of warehouses but the acting director chose not to disclose the time period. He said both National Food Authority (NFA) and private warehouses are covered.

The order came from the NBI central office said Cimafranca.

In a report in the Philippine STAR, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra had tapped the NBI to run after ‘rice hoarders’.

“For hoarders, they could possibly be indicted for economic sabotage. But if there is a cartel in rice supply found, those found to be involved in such illegal business practice could face cases of violations of Competition Act or anti-trust law,” Guevarra had said.

In a separate report, Department of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol has announced on the first week of September that the agency will give P250,000 reward to individuals who can give vital information about rice hoarders.

He assured that the money will not come from public funds but from private millers and traders whose businesses have been affected.

The FREEMAN tried to reach the NFA-7 and its organization of legitimate distributors for comment but to no avail. – GAN (FREEMAN)