MANILA, Philippines- Sasampahan ng kaso ang 12 onion importers at traders na sangkot sa anti-competitive practices, base sa Philippine Competition Commission (PCC).
Ito ang tugon sa direktiba ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr., base sa PCC, ayon sa press release na ipinalabas ng Presidential Communications Office nitong Linggo.
Sinabi ng PCC na nilabag ng 12 kompanya at indibidwal na sangkot sa onion importation at trading ang Philippine Competition Act (PCA).
Sumang-ayon ang mga kompanya at indibidwal na ito na maglaan ng suplay ng sibuyas sa bansa, ayon sa PCC.
Subalit, “the respondents assigned among themselves sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPSIC) issued by the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI) and distributed the volume of onion allowed for importation,” anang PCO, batay sa PCC.
Dahil dito, mayorya ng ng sibuyas na naipasok sa Pilipinas ang epektibong nakokontrol ng respondents, dagdag ng PCC.
“By agreeing to allocate SPSICs and divide among themselves the actual volume of imports, respondents effectively controlled more than 50 percent of the volume of onions imported into the Philippines during the relevant period. This is an anti-competitive agreement penalized under Section 14(b)(2) of the PCA,” wika nito.
“Respondents also colluded to lessen competition in the market. Evidence showed that respondents, despite being competitors, shared, exchanged, and discussed sensitive business information such as price, suppliers, customers, volume, shipping, distribution, and storage,” dagdag pa.
Nagresulta ito sa hindi pakikipagkompetensya ng importers at traders sa sa’t isa at pagpalyang malayang makapagdesisyon sa kanilang mga polisiya.
“Such an agreement has the object of restriction or distortion of competition and has inherent restrictive effects upon competition,” giit ng PCC.
May kabuuang tig-P2.4 bilyon ang inirekomendang ipataw na multa sa respondents.
Nauna nang inatasan ni Marcos ang PCC at iba pang ahensya ng pamahalaan na tugisin ang smugglers, hoarders at mga sangkot sa anti-competitive practices. RNT/SA
