5 Cebu City Rice Traders Found Violating Price Freeze Order

The City Legal Office has sent notices to five traders here for violating the price freeze order in light of the state of general community quarantine in the city.

Lawyer Rey Gealon, head of the legal office, said the traders were caught overcharging the price of the rice they are selling for up to PHP5.

Gealon withheld the names of the rice retailers while investigation is still pending.

He, however, revealed that two of the retailers are selling rice in Carbon Public Market and the three in Taboan Public Market.

He said a joint team from the Cebu City Market Authority, Legal Office, Business Processing and Licensing Office and Treasurer’s Office were doing an inspection in 10 public markets and retail establishments in the city.

This, he said, was done after they monitored complaints against unscrupulous traders who want to profit from the pandemic caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

“Pursuant to the order of Mayor Edgardo Labella, we are giving them five days to answer the notice we sent to them. We have documentation done by our market (office) personnel,” Gealon said, as he vowed that due process will be given to retail store owners.

He said an increase of above 10 percent of the allowable limit is considered profiteering which is considered an act of illegal price manipulation under Republic Act 7581 or the Price Act of 1992 and has a penalty ranging from PHP5,000 to PHP2 million fine.

They can also be charged for violating Republic Act 7394 or the Consumer Act of the Philippines, he added.

It can be recalled that Labella directed city traders to strictly follow the price freeze order so as not to add worries to the city residents while undergoing community quarantine, saying that taking the opportunity in these trying times will not alleviate the situation.

In the southern Cebu town of Barili, Mayor Marlon Garcia has also monitored retail stores that are selling rice with jacked up prices despite the freeze order announced by his sister, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

Garcia threatened the establishments with closure order if found violating the price freeze issuance.

Meanwhile, Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia, the council chair for budget and finance, belied rumors there is no more rice supply in Cebu City.

“I have met with some rice traders in Cebu and they said that we have enough supply to cope with the demand. Remember that there is no restriction for the delivery of goods to and from Cebu. In fact, our seaports and airports are open just for the passage of essential goods like rice, food, groceries etc.,” Garcia said. (PNA)