PNP steps into war vs rice hoarders

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) will “aggressively support” concerned government agencies in waging war against unscrupulous rice traders following President Duterte’s order to end rice smuggling and other illegal practices affecting food security.

PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde ordered the Directorate for Operations to coordinate with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and National Food Authority (NFA) to identify possible areas for improvement and strengthen law enforcement against illegal activities affecting rice and food products.

Albayalde said the PNP, DA and NFA could review all operational plans, directives, issuances and memoranda of agreements as part of the effort to address illegal activities affecting the country’s food security.

“Upon the guidance of President Duterte as embodied in the State of the Nation Address, we will aggressively support concerned government agencies in waging war against unscrupulous traders, who willfully manipulate market forces for their own selfish gain that result in higher prices of basic and essential commodities, particularly rice and food products,” Albayalde said in a press briefing yesterday at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

“These acts go beyond the economic issue of fair trade. This is a matter of food security that the state is duty-bound to protect and defend,” he added.

The PNP will also work with the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine Competition Commission on how the government can best address illegal activities affecting food security.

Albayalde said that while the PNP would go after hoarders, there should be a “whole government approach” to decisively address economic sabotage being sustained by wealthy criminals whose protectors might be in high places. – With Ding Cervantes