By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The United Sugar Producers Federation (UNIFED) is also calling on the government to check sugar warehouses and mills in Bacolod City and the whole Negros Occidental province, following the series of raids carried out by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in Pampanga, Bulacan and Zambales.

UNIFED President Manuel Lamata said the government agencies should not be picky as the consumers are suffering due to the high cost of sugar being sold in the markets.

Lamata said the government should check on the sugar millers in the province and check if they are also hoarding sugar.

He added that should the sugar millers themselves hide their sugar, the government should immediately seize the supply and file economic sabotage charges against them.

Earlier on Friday, August 19, Lamata commented that the seized sacks of sugar in Luzon are only “tip of the iceberg.”

“The government should start the inventory in two big mills in Bukidnon. Authorities will be surprised to discover the large amount of sugar,” he said.

Lamata also revealed that he was one of the sugar planters who urged President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. to raid the warehouses located in Pampanga and Bulacan on Thursday, August 18, saying the spike in the prices of sugar was due to hoarding.

The BOC also seized a total of 7,000 metric tons of sugar at Subic Port in Zambales.

It was later found out that the seized sacks of sugar in Zambales had “recycled import permits.”/DGB, WDJ