Warehouse yields P40-M substandard steel bars in second raid

MANILA, Philippines - Authorities raided again the compound of a private firm in Laguna and seized an estimate P40 million worth of substandard steel bars, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said on Thursday.

CIDG chief Director Benjamin Magalong said operatives swooped down anew on the warehouse of the South Luzon Steel Corp. owned by Loius Go at Barangay Banlic, Cabuyao City last August 4.

CIDG operatives confiscated 18,000 pieces of deformed 12mm steel bars inside the warehouse.

Magalong said the raid was covered by a search warrant issued by Judge Lirio Castigador of Regional Trial Court Branch 15, Naic, Cavite.

The same warehouse was raided by the CIDG last month and the operation yielded substandard angle bars, steel bars and rolled bars of different sizes worth P37 million.

Go and other incorporators are facing charges for violation of RA 7394 or the Consumer’ Act.

Magalong said the seized construction materials are of inferior quality and not resilient although they cost the same as the genuine products.

He added that CIDG operatives are conducting follow-up operations against other targets and many of them are said to be buying inferior quality construction materials from Manila and Cebu.