OPERATIVES from the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) - Baguio arrested a businessman for selling overpriced alcohol on April 1.
Authorities arrested Mark Addogon Bagiw after allegedly selling 100 milliliter (ml) isopropyl alcohol priced at P80, twice than the suggested retail price (SRP) of P36 per 150 ml.
Confiscated from the suspect were 15 pieces of 60 ml isopropyl alcohol contained in unlabeled plastic spray bottles.
The suspect was brought to CIDG-Baguio and now face charges in violation of Republic Acts 7581 (Price Act) and 7394 [the Consumers Act of 1992].
All over the country, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), along with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police –CIDG), seized a total of over P15 million worth of alcohol, hand sanitizers, face masks, and thermal scanners in separate operations across the country.
The Trade Secretary announced that a total of 62 operations have been conducted nationwide from March 18 to 28, 2020.
NBI conducted 26 operations and arrested 64 individuals while CIDG conducted 36 operations wherein 59 individuals found hoarding and selling overpriced medical supplies have been arrested by authorities.
DTI, together with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Health (DOH), released on March 18, Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 2020-01 to ensure the proper implementation of the price freeze on basic necessities and prime commodities, which lasts for 60 days from the declaration of the State of Calamity on March 16, unless sooner lifted by President Rodrigo Duterte.
The DTI Consumer Protection Group is closely monitoring the price freeze on basic commodities. Any person or entity found violating the Price Act will be fined between P5,000 and P2 million and face imprisonment between five and 15 years.
As the government further strengthens its quarantine efforts, consumers are enjoined to report business establishments that sell beyond the price freeze by calling hotline 1384 or 1-DTI.