‘Mrs. Sibuyas still owes me P30M,’ says farmers’ group leader

AFARMERS’ group leader on Friday said that the controversial “Mrs. Sibuyas” identified as a certain Lilia Lea Cruz still owed him at least P30 million because of unpaid 65,000 bags of onions bought from the bulbs’ cooperative.

In a radio interview, Bonena Multipurpose Cooperative chairman Israel Reguyal said that Cruz bought 80,000 bags of onions from the farmers’ group.

“She directly transacts with the farmers’ cooperatives. In our case alone, she bought 80,000 bags (of onions). But she only paid for 15,000 bags and she still owes me at least P30 million,” Reguyal said.

Reguyal added that he only represents the onion farmer members of Bonena.

“That time, my fellow farmers blamed me and because I was not used to incurring debts, I tried to sell my belongings just to pay my debts,” Reguyal said.

During the recent House Committee on Agriculture and Food investigation, Reguyal testified that Cruz issued bouncing checks as payment for the onions.

Reguyal said that he continues to plant onions despite the financial setback caused by Cruz.

“Planting of onions is our only source of income,” he noted.

According to Reguyal, Cruz was introduced to him by a former head of the farmers’ cooperative.

“It was during the year 2012 to 2013 when the former chairman of our cooperative introduced her, saying she buys onions at higher farmgate price. That’s when our transaction started,” Reguyal noted.

According to Reguyal, Cruz cornered the stocks of onions from all the 17 farmers’ cooperatives in Nueva Ecija.

“She was able to control the entire federation of onions in Nueva Ecija. She bought all the stocks in the cold storage,” Reguyal said.

He said fellow onion farmers were happy that the House of Representatives opened the investigation on the onion cartel.

“Her business was really garlic importation, but since we were aggressive in opposing onion importation, she befriended us and tried to buy our stocks. Other onion farmers continue to transact business with her because they do not know her modus operandi,” Reguyal added.

Reguyal also confirmed reports that Cruz uses 15 different companies in her operation.

“Either she is related to these companies or she also directly buys onions and garlic from them,” he said.

Reguyal said that Cruz has connections at the Bureau of Customs since one of her relatives works at the bureau.

He said the case against Cruz is still pending at the Sandiganbayan as witnesses failed to attend the hearings.

“Those who were supposed to testify as witnesses did not show up. We hope this will not cause the Sandigabayan to dismiss the case against her as there is evidence against her,” Reguyal said.

Agriculture Assistant Secretary and deputy spokesman Rex Estoperez said efforts are now being made to unmask personnel from the DA and the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) who are allegedly in cahoots with the onion cartel in the country.

Reguyal has said that Cruz cornered the supply of the onions with the connivance of certain BPI and DA officials.

For her part, Nueva Ecija Rep. Rosanna “Ria” Vergara said that the price of garlic also skyrocketed in 2015 because of the cartel.

Vergara added that because of the rampant garlic importation, many garlic farmers were forced to stop planting.

Vergara expressed hope that the onion industry will not suffer the fate of the garlic industry.

According to Vergara, the Office of the Ombudsman has already filed cases against Cruz, as well as former DA and BPI officials amid the manipulation in the price and supply of garlic.

Vergara said the Ombudsman filed the cases against Cruz and others in 2018 and they are still awaiting the decision of the anti-graft court on the matter.