By Nancy Carvajal
A 27-year-old warehouse employee of a food manufacturer was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Wednesday (March 15) for allegedly trying to sell trade secrets to competitors.
Agents of the NBI Anti-Organized Crime Division arrested Paul Conde at his home in Caloocan on the basis of a complaint filed by his employer.
The food manufacturer said Conde also allegedly tried to extort P100,000 from the company in exchange for not publicly disclosing the formulation of its products.
Conde’s employer reportedly supplies drinks and food to various establishments in the country. It got wind of his activities after clients and even competitors reached out to the company.
Following his arrest, Conde confessed to trying to alter the mixture of drinks sold by his employer.
“The taste will be slightly different, but it has no harmful effect to consumers,” he said.
A representative of the food manufacturer said charges will be filed against Conde for extortion and selling trade secrets.
“What he did has a big impact on our product. He has to be accountable for his action,” the representative said.
