BOC denies sugar smuggling in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - Bureau of Customs district collector Ronnie Silvestre denied reports about rampant smuggling of sugar in Cebu.

"That is not true. We are closely monitoring our ports and there is no such thing as sugar smuggling here," Silvestre said in an interview with The FREEMAN.

Silvestre said that Enrique Roxas, president of National Confederation of Sugar Planters Inc., wrote a letter to former BOC officer-in-charge Alexander Arevalo that sugar smuggling is rampant in Cebu.

Silvestre, who was instructed by Arevalo to comment on the letter, strongly disputed such claim.

Silvestre said that Roxas cited Customs Cebu’s apprehension of at least 200 bags of sugar last July 2 and of 266 bags of sugar on July 9 was reportedly turned over to him.

But Silvestre denied such report. "There are no such apprehensions and not even a kilo of sugar was turned over to me."

Silvestre said he called up Roxas to verify his claim. But Roxas told him that he was informed about the alleged smuggling by the anti-smuggling task force head of the Sugar Regulatory Authority.

"Whoever is that head of that task force, he or she has no coordination with my office. I don't want to conclude that this is just hearsay but it seems it is," Silvestre said. – THE FREEMAN