Tacloban eatery owner in hot water for selling relief rice packs

The owner of an eatery in Tacloban City is now in hot water after she was caught selling rice packs meant as relief goods for residents affected by super typhoon Yolanda.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development said Marchita Ygrubay, 52, faces charges for violating the Anti-Fencing law after she was caught selling 17 sacks of 25-kg rice packs.

It said its regional director for Eastern Visayas Nestor Ramos stumbled on the practice when he went to the Sola Eatery, which Ygrubay runs, for dinner on April 3.

On April 4, a team headed by DSWD Assistant Regional Directors Restituto Macuto and Virginia Idano went to the eatery along Salazar Street at Barangay 23, and seized the relief items from Ygrubay.

But Ygrubay insisted that she did not know that the goods were not meant for resale, adding she was just helping the sellers who claimed to be Yolanda survivors.

The DSWD said the rice packs were allegedly sold for P600 each. It noted the rice packs bore the label, “DSWD Relief Supplies, Not for Sale.”

On the other hand, the DSWD said Ygrubay claimed a delivery boy for a water refilling station had previously approached her with a tricycle loaded with 12 sacks of relief rice, but she refused the offer since she had no money.

DSWD Secretary Corazon Soliman said Ygrubay will be charged with fencing–or selling stolen goods, even as an investigation will be conducted to find out who sold the rice packs.

Under the Anti-Fencing Law, fencing is punishable with imprisonment for from a month and one day to 12 years depending on the value of the stolen goods sold.

“May this serve as a stern warning to individuals who continue with their unscrupulous ways,” Soliman said.

Meanwhile, Idano asked the City Social Welfare Office if it was aware of the illegal activity. DSWD quoted Malou Nacilla, one of the local social workers, as saying they were not aware of such operations.

Tacloban City mayor Alfred Romualdez said his office will conduct random checks of rice supplies in households in the city.

Romualdez also said he will instruct his staff to label the rice sacks with the names of people who receive them so they can be traced if the rice is sold. — Joel Locsin/JDS, GMA News