AUTHORITIES arrested two siblings for allegedly hoarding and selling overpriced ethyl alcohol amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group 7 Provincial Team headed by Lt. Col. Aladding Dingal together with members of the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit (Racu) 7 and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 7 conducted the entrapment.

Dingal identified the suspects as Jezrel, 32, and Jhon Amorio, 28. Both are photographers who hail from Barangay Babag, Lapu-Lapu City. They were arrested in the house they were renting on Cabreros St. in Barangay San Nicolas, Cebu City.

Dingal said they found the Amorios selling the items online which explained why the Racu 7 participated in the operation.

Violation

Seized from the two were five boxes of 500 milliliters ethyl alcohol that they were allegedly selling for P170 per bottle.

According to the FDA 7 personnel who participated in the operation, the standard retail price set by the Department of Trade and Industry is P61.50 per bottle.

The Amorios will be charged with violating Republic Act (RA) 7581, as amended by RA 10623, or the Price Act.

A prize freeze was automatically implemented when President Rodrigo Duterte signed Proclamation Order 922, which placed the country under a state of emergency to contain the Covid-19 threat.

Superbalita Cebu tried to interview the suspects, but they declined to give a statement. / BBT / MMC