CIDG nab online resellers for overpriced alcohol, masks

CAGAYAN de Oro City – The Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) raided the house of three online resellers the other day along Justo Ramonal Streets, this city, for alleged overpricing of alcohol and masks amid coronavirus onslaught in the country.
    
CIDG PCapt Freddie Sorilla, CIDG operative told a local radio station here that the suspects sold their stuff online on very high prices, in violation of the suggested retail price of the Department of Trade and Indutry.
    
Sorilla said prior to the raid they have conducted surveillance and one of their operatives acted as buyer online to confirm reports they are selling the alcohol and masks at very high prices. After confirming the reports, they immediately conducted a test-buy and arrested the suspects at their house along Justo Ramonal Street, this city.
    
Sorilla said for an alcohol with suggested retail price of P74.25, they are selling it at P120.00 which a clear violation of DTI laws on suggested retail prices in the market.
    
Meanwhile in Metro Manila, simultaneous raids were also conducted by CIDG operatives in Manila and Caloocan City. 
    
The arresting team also caught three suspects selling overpriced alcohol, which tremendously increased in demand, when coronavirus started to wreck havoc in the country and around the world.
    
In a data provided to the media by DOH officials, the death toll now rise to 19 while infected persons reached to 262 as of Saturday, March 21,2020.
    
CIDG operatives during a separate raid on Thursday (March 19) arrested Jeffrey Zapanta and Albert Mandap. They were caught for allegedly selling ethyl alcohol at a double price from the normal suggested retail price imposed by DTI.
    
The suspects, report said, sold a 500ml alcohol for P140 while the SRP on said alcohol only ranges from P61 to P74.25. The police said they immediately acted on complaints online regarding the illegal operation of the suspects.
    
The raiding team recovered over 120 bottles of ethyl alcohol worth P23,620.00
    
In a separate operation of the PNP-CIDG team, the third suspect was arrested at a medical supplies store in Bambang, Manila. 
    
She was identified by police investigators as Evangeline Endozo for the same exorbitant pricing of alcohol and other medical supplies.
    
The suspect was a saleslady at JKOS Medical Supplies and Equipment. She allegedly sold 60ml alcohol bottles for P80 each, report said.
    
The CIDG raiding team during the daid seized a total of 1,380 bottles of alcohol in different sizes, with a total market value of P231,000.
    
The police said, the suspects will face charges for violation of the Consumer Act of the Philippines, per DTI Memorandum Circular No.20-07, otherwise known as "Anti-Hoarding and Anti-Panic Buying."