Another online seller busted for selling overpriced alcohol

Eric Pollescas, an online trader, is brought to the NBI-CEVRO office after his arrest during an entrapment operation at a parking lot of a Mandaue City mall for allegedly selling a liter of alcohol for P200 each. | CDND FIles / Paul Lauro

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Another online seller was arrested for allegedly selling bottles of overpriced alcohol at around 11 a.m. of March 28, 2020 in a parking lot of a Mandaue City mall.

Eric Egas Pollescas of Sitio Lumbang, Barangay Pulpogan, Consolacion town in northern Cebu was arrested in an entrapment operation conducted by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation Central Visayas Regional Office (NBI-CEVRO), said Lawyer Wenceslao Galendez Jr., who led the operation.

Galendez said that they conducted the operation against Pollescas after they received a complaint about the latter’s selling of overpriced disinfectants.

Pollescas was allegedly selling alcohol online for P200 a bottle, which was P60 more than the standard retail price (SRP) of a liter of alcohol — P140 each liter.

The NBI agents confiscated 17 bottles of one liter alcohol, which Pollescas brought with him during the entrapment operation.

The arrest came after the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office arrested an online seller from Barangay Agus, who allegedly also overpriced her alcohol products.

Read more: Online seller nabbed for selling overpriced alcohol

Meanwhile, when asked why he has been overpricing the bottles of alcohol, Pollescas refused to answer.

As of this time, Pollescas is being held at the NBI CEVRO detention facilities pending the filing of the case for violating Republic Act (RA) 7581 or the Price Act and RA 73941 or the Consumer Act.

With Pollescas arrest, the NBI agents remind business owners or those selling disinfectants to refrain from overpricing their products and to always follow the SRP so that they complaints would not be filed against them./dbs