Sandigan junks garlic cartel graft rap vs ex-DA chief

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January 10, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has dismissed the graft case against former Department of Agriculture secretary Proceso Alcala in connection with the alleged monopolization of garlic importation and supply, which caused a spike in prices in the market in 2014.

In a 34-page resolution promulgated on Jan. 5, the anti-graft Fifth Division granted Alcala’s demurrer to evidence, in which he prayed for the dismissal of his case for violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, on the ground of insufficiency of evidence presented by the Office of the Ombudsman’s prosecution panel.

The Fifth Division agreed with Alcala’s contention that the evidence presented by the prosecution failed to establish all the elements of the charged crime as well as his participation in its commission.

Filed by the ombudsman in 2019, the case stemmed from the alleged conspiracy among Alcala, officials of the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) and the private organization Vegetable Importers, Exporters, Vendors Association of the Philippines to monopolize the importation and supply of garlic in 2014, allowing VIEVA to dictate market prices.

The ombudsman said that on July 24, 2013, Alcala named VIEVA chairperson and controlling owner Lilia Cruz, also known as Lea Cruz, as chairman of the National Garlic Action Team (NGAT), the DA’s consultative body on garlic importation and supply policies.

This, the ombudsman claimed, enabled Cruz to access vital information, paving the way for VIEVA-affiliated trading firms and cooperatives to secure the majority of import permits (IPs) granted by the DA for the importation of a total of 58,240 metric tons of garlic aimed at meeting market demand from November 2013 to March 2014.

Of the total 8,810 IPs issued by the DA, 5,022 were secured by VIEVA and VIEVA-affiliate importers, the ombudsman said. The ombudsman added that VIEVA’s monopolization of garlic importation caused the price of imported garlic to surge to P260 to P400 per kilogram from January to July 2014, up from P165 to P170 per kilogram in 2010-2013. The price of native garlic also rose to P250 to P450 per kilogram from April to June 2014.

In dismissing the case against Alcala, the Fifth Division said the prosecution failed to establish that he acted in conspiracy with the other accused to favor VIEVA and its affiliated importers.