MANILA — The Department of Justice (DOJ) is planning to build an economic sabotage case against those behind the alleged onion cartel that has been blamed for the price spike last year.

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Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla said in a press conference Thursday that they plan to gather evidence against people identified as part of the cartel.

“Now, we're looking at all the minutes now of the congressional hearings and of course, we will look at our own notes to be able to put together a good case of economic sabotage against those who insist on creating a cartel within the country, which is definitely against the law,” he said.

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Republic Act 10845 or the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016 considers large-scale agricultural smuggling as economic sabotage.

Importing or selling P1 million to P10 million worth of agricultural products in their raw state or those that have undergone simple processes for preparation or preservation without a required import permit is considered as falling under this crime.

Remulla said the same names that cropped up during the House probe are also emerging in their own investigation.

“There are around 6 or 7 names that come out when we look at the whole picture. So we have a very good idea, we just have to catch them in the act,” he added.

A House probe led by Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo uncovered supposed collusion among various players in the industry in order to control the price.

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A corporation was supposedly formed composed of industry competitors and players from various stages of the supply chain — from farming to cold storage, importation and distribution.

“So not only competitors but also players involved in various stages of the supply chain have also come together in a single big corporation and that is the one that we feel is the legal cover for the cartel and that’s the one that basically controls the onion industry and the main reason why prices skyrocketed in 2022,” Quimbo told ANC Headstart Wednesday.

Remulla echoed the House probe’s findings.

“Ang network kasi nito, from the time the onions are ordered to the production fields, meron talagang malaking galamay itong grupong ito. Kaya kino-control talaga nila yung supply. At kasama po dito yung mga cold storage facilities, mga bodega, tsaka yung middlemen,” he explained.

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In response to the President’s directive, the DOJ had recently formed an Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Task Force. But Remulla added that the DOJ, as an institution, has been looking into the issue for quite some time.

“In fact, last year, nu’ng naghi-hearings sa House, nakapag-test buy pa nga ang NBI in Cebu. Na-locate namin kung sino nagtatago sa Cebu ng supply. So nakita talaga namin 'yong ano, 'yong organization nito at work,” he said.

The DOJ will also form a special team of prosecutors to handle agricultural smuggling cases.

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