3 arrested for overpricing ethyl alcohol in Bacolod

Three employees of an aesthetics store in Bacolod City were arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for allegedly selling overpriced ethyl alcohol.

The arrests were made after a resident complained about purchasing two 250 ml bottles for P90, which is more than double the Department of Trade and Industry's (DTI) P41 price ceiling.

The suspects, identified as Nanette Cabiles, Kristel Mae Cortes, and Sinny Celeste, are all residents of Barangay Tangub.

The NBI also recovered 37 gallons and 104 bottles of ethyl alcohol from the store, which will be tested for content.

The store owner will face charges for violating Republic Act 7581, also known as the Price Act, and additional cases may be filed if the alcohol was illegally produced.

The NBI continues to accept complaints regarding overpricing and hoarding of essential commodities during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.