The House Committee on Agriculture and Food on Tuesday issued a show cause order requiring at least six officials of cold storage facilities and a trader to explain why they should not be cited in contempt over their failure to attend congressional inquiries on exorbitant onion prices.
Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga stressed that the presence of these people was necessary for the investigation.
Those who allegedly snubbed the panel’s summons to attend the hearings were Mary Ann Lim and Grace Ang Ong of Super 5 cold storage, Sherman Chan and Eric Fabilona of Tian Long cold storage, Vilma Camato, former operations manager of Argo storage, Marlene Lamata of Rivson storage, and trader Lilia/Leah Cruz.
The Super 5 executives submitted a medical certificates stating that Lim was five-month pregnant and advised to take a rest, while Ong tested positive for COVID-19.
Tian Long’s Fabilona was in Hong Kong for an eye operation, while Chan also did not show up. Lamata, who supposedly has upper respiratory tract infection, and Camato also submitted medical certificates that they were ill.
Cruz, on the other hand, was confined in Metropolitan Medical Hospital due to bleeding.
“Ang daming maysakit,” Enverga said during the hearing.
“We issue a show cause order sa lahat ng wala,” Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga added.
House appropriations panel senior vice chairperson Stella Quimbo expressed her frustration.
“Mr. Chair, this is our sixth hearing, and it has been two hours and all we have talked about are the excuses of our resource persons. It is really very, very frustrating,” she said.