Villar to summon officials tagged in rice smuggling

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Cynthia Villar, chairperson of the Senate committee on agriculture, is looking into the possibility of inviting Customs officials believed to be conniving with personalities involved in the multi-billion rice smuggling in the country.

Villar said she will not hesitate calling into the inquiry the officials who will be tagged by former Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Jessie Dellosa in rice smuggling.

Villar is hoping that Dellosa will provide the copy of his report, which reportedly included a senator and some Customs officials involved in the smuggling issue.

"I can ask him if he will be willing to give me a report if such a report exists. I can ask him, there is nothing wrong with that unless they say it is confidential, for the President," Villar said.

Villar noted that Customs officials have admitted that smuggling and corruption are rooted in the system.

"Sinasabi nila, Customs as an agency, embedded doon ang smuggling but they never mention na mga tao na nasa top of this. Kung may lumabas tungkol doon, maybe we can call them and it will be an opportunity for them to explain also yung side nila," Villar said.

The senator also cautioned some resource persons who have one way or another evaded the past Senate hearings on the issue. Villar said the committee is now reviewing its records to determine whether these persons will be slapped with contempt or not.

Once they wrapped the Senate probe, Villar said she will pursue the filing of criminal charges.