Too many cooks?

Comes now the Office of the Ombudsman with a statement Tuesday that it would investigate officials of the Department of Agriculture and the Food Terminal Inc. over the purchase of onions at P537 per kilo.

In trying to put under the microscope the procurement of onions from the Bonena Multipurpose Cooperative, Ombudsman Samuel Martires said he would send notices to DA and FTI officials to explain.

According to the Ombudsman, the officials will be asked by his office to rationalize why they bought onions at a price that’s many times over their retail price point of P170 per kilo at Kadiwa stores.

The implication is that so one can sell onions at P170 per kilo to end users, the farmgate price should be well below retail. Imagine, how much more expensive retail-wise those onions procured from farmers (or middlemen) at P570 per kilo would be.

The statement of Martires came a day after DA spokesperson Rex Estoperez on Monday said the department is looking at price manipulation as one of the possible reasons for the high cost of onions sold in public markets.

It also came on the heels of the claim of a certain lawmaker that price manipulation of onions had been going on since

“There should be more circumspection especially since the DA is looking into all the possible reasons why the prices of onions are going up.

“Insofar

as the DA and the rising prices of onions are concerned, this statement of the Ombudsman declaring an intent to investigate DA and FTI officials may be premature.

2013, purportedly perpetrated by a cartel, even if it is only now that the commodity has seen skyrocketing prices.

Is this a case of too many cooks trying to stir a cauldron that no less than the President of the Republic of the Philippines, Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., oversees, having concurrently worn the hat of DA Secretary?

The Ombudsman is considered the people’s advocate, an office where ordinary folks can bring forth their complaints against government officials. As a constitutional body, it is duty-bound to look into even the oddest conspiracy theories brought before it by Juan and Juana Dela Cruz.

On top of that role, another important aspect of the office is that it can motu proprio, or on its own, conduct an investigation on potential government shenanigans so it can prosecute those concerned before the Sandiganbayan.

Clearly, the Office of the Ombudsman plays an important role in the checks and balance necessary to ensure that government officials or employees do not use their positions to, for example, amass wealth through corruption.

However, insofar as the DA and the rising prices of onions are concerned, this statement of the Ombudsman declaring an intent to investigate DA and FTI officials may be premature. As pointed out above, the DA spokesperson himself said the department is investigating possible price manipulation with, of course, the unstated ramification that it would prosecute transgressors.

And this is no ordinary department. The DA is not just under the Office of the President, like any other department; it is headed by no other than President Marcos.

As seen from past actions of the President like visiting agricultural warehouses, it’s clear that he has rolled up his sleeves in resolving issues that have to do with food security.

Mr. Marcos has shown that with rice and sugar and, we surmise, also with regards to onions. At the very least, there should be no Monday morning quarterbacking the Chief Executive himself.

We cannot stop politicians from doing so because that’s what they do to gain media mileage. But a prosecutorial office like the Ombudsman? There should be more circumspection especially since the DA is looking into all the possible reasons why the prices of onions are going up.

The Office of the President, as seen from its finding that “miscommunication” triggered the controversial Sugar Order 4, said it looks into matters brought before it. With former Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin as Executive Secretary, the public is assured that violations of the law would be addressed as needed.

If not, then that’s the time for the Ombudsman to step in.