Six suspects were collared by the authorities at Tanza Bonifacio in this city on Tuesday night, March 24, for allegedly hoarding and selling overpriced alcohol.
Some 70 liters of alcohol with an estimated value of P20,300 were confiscated from the suspects, said Maj. Marlon Valencia, Mandurriao police station chief.
Arrested were Princess Angel Jamolo, Kiefer John Vera, Jennifer Fraico, Gracel Mae Castro, Ernalyn Veras, and Conrado Sorongon Jr.
The Mandurriao police conducted the entrapment operation together with the Crime Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
“They are selling the alcohol for P290 per liter while the market price of this is only at P140,” Valencia said.
He said the sellers allegedly sourced the alcohol from Sorongon who claimed that he was a Department of Health (DOH) authorized distributor.
“We are tracing where Sorongon is getting his supplies,” he said, adding the five suspects also have no necessary business permits, he said.
Sorongon is on hospital arrest because of hypertension, Valencia said, while the four others are held at Mandurriao lock-up cell.
They will be facing charges for violating the Republic Act 7581 or the Price Act and Republic Act 7394 or the Consumer Act of the Philippines.
Valencia said they also violated the DTI Memorandum Circular 20-07 or the “Anti-hoarding and anti-panic buying act”.
While the country is in the midst of its fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Valencia said the police will not cease in its fight against those who take advantage of the crisis.
“We saw that there is a need for alcohol in the market and they are keeping this, hoarding this. Worse, they sell it almost twice its original price,” he said. Gail Momblan/PNA
Photo from Super Radyo Iloilo’s Facebook page
