Negros Occidental fourth district Rep. Juliet Ferrer and second district Rep. Leo Rafael Cueva recently echoed the call by third district Rep. Alfredo Benitez, seeking a probe into declining “mill gate” sugar prices.

The two filed House Resolution No. 1497, which requests the Special Committee on Visayas to conduct an investigation into the matter.

Both blamed the issue on the continued importation of artificial sweeteners, which includes high fructose corn syrup (HFCS); claiming 30 percent of the local sugar market is being usurped by HFCS.

Last week, Benitez filed a similar resolution, claiming the price of sugar, as of November 5, dropped by 26 percent to P1,190 for a 50-kilogram bag.

Benitez noted, a 50-kilogram bag of sugar sold for P1,618 during the same period last year.

Meanwhile, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri recently stated his intention to call for a similar probe before the Senate./DGB, WDJ