4 sellers of unregistered farm chemicals indicted in Las Piñas
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. (Photo by Jordeene B. Lagare)
MANILA, Philippines — A Las Piñas City prosecutor has indicted four individuals for the illegal sale of unregistered farm chemicals worth about P3.5 million, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).
In a statement on Tuesday, the DA said the prosecutor cited James Malinao Halasan, Julievie Galleon Dumalagan, Prescillano Baloma and Raina Mosong Canalita. They were earlier arrested during a recent police entrapment operation.
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The DA said these individuals allegedly posed as representatives of WLEX Co. Philippines Inc. They were caught marketing unregistered fertilizers and pesticides in a warehouse in Las Piñas.
Seized during the operation were hundreds of one-liter bottles of pesticides labeled Axonic, Sapphire, Clonic, and Nutrinano Fruit. There were also four sacks of Welzeb; thousands of sachets of Nutrinano SC, Nutrinano, and Norinano Plus fertilizers. There were also several containers of Bioplus and three unlabelled farm chemical products.
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“We welcome this decisive action by the Las Piñas City prosecutor to pursue charges against individuals whose illegal activities not only harm our farmers and agricultural productivity but also undermine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s vision of a food-secure Philippines,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said.
