Amid mounting evidence of the potential hoarding of agricultural goods like rice and onions, AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee on Thursday emphasized the need to actively enforce the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act to punish smugglers, hoarders, price manipulators and government employees and officials who take part in this crime, and reiterated the urgency of passing a pending measure strengthening the said law.

According to the Bicolano legislator, “when these criminals hoard vital agri products like rice and onions to increase prices and earn larger profits, they are profiting off the hunger of our impoverished countrymen.”

“Profiteers deserve to go to prison. Demonyo lang ang mag-iisip na okay lang magutom ang kapwa basta kumita sila.”

Lee is the author of House Bill No. 5742 or the “Anti-Agricultural Smuggling and Economic Sabotage Act of 2016.”.

HB No. 5742 aims to (1) include the other unlawful act of market abuses; and (2) modify a stricter penalty to those public officials or employees who tolerate and protect large-scale agricultural smuggling, and other market abuses, namely but not limited to, hoarding, profiteering, or cartel in the country.

The penalty of up to life imprisonment and a fine of up to twice the fair value of the smuggled agricultural product or the product subject to hoarding, profiteering, or cartel and the aggregate amount of the taxes, duties and other charges avoided plus interest at the prevailing legal rate shall be imposed on any person who violates the law.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez earlier said that the House would prioritize the passage of the proposed amendments to the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act in Second Regular Session of the 19th Congress after the prices of onions surged last month.

In a related development, Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo, in a memorandum transmitted to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., said there is “substantial” evidence that a cartel is behind rising onion prices.