MANILA – A House mega-panel on Wednesday directed the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to probe the role of middlemen in alleged rice price manipulation that has burdened Filipino consumers and farmers.
During the hearing of the House Quinta Committee, House Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo 1st District Representative Janette Garin made the motion ordering the NBI to identify individuals or organizations responsible for price hikes.
“With this, Mr. Chair, will this august body allow me to put forward a motion to direct the [NBI] to investigate [both ways]—from the retailers to the middleman to the wholesalers, or wholesalers papunta rito sa mga middleman papunta sa mga retailers (to middlemen to retailers) —so we can specifically identify the responsible people in terms of price manipulation. I so move, Mr. Chair,” Garin said.
The motion was seconded by Cavite 2nd District Rep. Lani Mercado-Revilla and approved by Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda, who chairs the joint panel.
Salceda directed the NBI to investigate the entire supply chain to expose manipulative practices.
The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) highlighted vulnerabilities in the rice supply chain, particularly among vertically integrated entities and middlemen.
During interpellation, Garin asked Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. what agency oversees these middlemen.
Laurel said there is no agency specifically tasked with monitoring middlemen.
Garin attributed the issue to the enactment of the Rice Tariffication Law in 2019, which removed the National Food Authority’s (NFA) power to stabilize rice prices through direct intervention.
“Natanggalan ng power ang NFA na magbenta ng bigas. Bakit ito importante? Dahil kapag nagkakaroon ng sabwatan sa baba, pumapasok ang gobyerno para magbenta at ibaba ang presyo (The NFA lost its power to sell rice. Why is this important? Because when there’s collusion below, the government intervenes to sell and bring down prices),” she said.
Garin highlighted that some middlemen exploit to control access of legitimate wholesalers, driving prices higher.
“At ‘yung retailer ay tila hindi nabibigyan ng direct na linya papunta sa totoong wholesaler kasi kontrolado nito ang mga middleman na ito (Retailers appear unable to connect directly to legitimate wholesalers because these middlemen control access),” she said.
She said the NBI investigation is expected to reveal whether middlemen’s actions constitute economic sabotage or profiteering.
The Quinta Committee is composed of the House Committees on Ways and Means, Trade and Industry, Agriculture and Food, Social Services, and the Special Committee on Food Security.
Despite reduced tariffs on rice imports, prices have remained high, ranging from PHP55 to PHP60 per kilogram.
Lawmakers suspect collusion among importers, traders, and middlemen.
Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo, earlier, claimed that importers and traders collectively profited a staggering PHP13 billion after rice import tariffs were slashed from 35 percent to 15 percent under Executive Order 62. (PNA)