Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 10) – Officials from the Department of Agriculture (DA) will be investigated in relation to the soaring prices of red and white onions in the market, the Office of the Ombudsman confirmed Tuesday.

Ombudsman Samuel Martires said he wanted to look into the involvement of traders in price manipulation that may have caused a spike in the farmgate prices of onions.

READ: Red onion prices soar to over ₱700 per kilo

Bonena Multipurpose Cooperative Chairman Israel Reguyal said traders started a bidding process that resulted in farmgate prices reaching ₱550 to ₱570 per kilo last month.

Martires said he will seek an explanation from DA officials and Food Terminal Inc. (FTI).

The DA allocated ₱140 million for the purchase of onions from farmers at farmgate price while the FTI bought the onions from Bonena.

READ: DA: Price manipulation, smuggling possible causes of spike in red onion prices

CNN Correspondent Currie Cator contributed to this report