QC, Malabon move vs rice hoarders

The local governments of Quezon City and Malabon have launched campaigns to rid their areas of jurisdiction of traders hoarding rice or repacking National Food Authority or NFA rice and passing it off as the higher-priced commercial variety.

Quezon City policemen inspected two rice warehouses Wednesday night. One of the warehouses the lawmen visited is owned by a brother of Pangasinan Vice Gov. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas.

Roger Primicias, owner of RLP Rice Dealer, denied the allegations and was subsequently cleared by authorities.

Superintendent Franklin Moises Mabanag, chief of the Quezon City Police District-Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (QCPD-CIDU), said Primicias presented documents that showed he is a legitimate rice dealer and that there was no evidence to show that his workers repacked NFA rice.

QCPD-CIDU operatives inspected the warehouse, which is at the basement of Primicias’ residence in Vista Real subdivision. The sacks of NFA rice are stored at the warehouse before they are sold at a store, also owned by Primicias, on Luzon Avenue.

Mabanag said they found around 100 sacks of NFA rice in Primicias’ warehouse.

“He (Primicias) is really (a legitimate) NFA rice trader... Also there was no re-bagging equipment in the area (that would indicate that repacking of sacks of NFA rice is being done there),” Mabanag told The STAR in an interview.

Amid reports of a purported rice supply crisis in the country, the government is cracking down on NFA rice dealers engaged in hoarding and repacking the cheap rice, which will be re-sold at a higher price as commercial variety.

The Quezon City policemen also inspected the warehouse of Jacob Rice Dealer in Parkway Village. Superintendent Antonio Yarra, chief of the General Investigation Section of the QCPD-CIDU, said they conducted the inspection after receiving a report that repacking of NFA rice is being done in the said warehouse.

Yarra said the warehouse is owned by Marissa Cua and brother-in-law, Jerry, who will be summoned by the NFA for questioning.

During the raid, Quezon City policemen found 750 empty sacks of rice bearing the NFA logo. Mabanag said they also found a “stitching machine” used for re-packing sacks of rice.

“They (warehouse owners) could not produce the necessary papers (to show that they are legitimate NFA rice traders),” Mabanag said.

Police also found around 156 sacks of Thailand rice (Strawberry brand), which the NFA representative said was illegal since this should have gone through the NFA.

Mabanag quoted Cua as saying that the empty sacks were left by their customers or retailers, and that they do not sell NFA rice.

“She was also amazed upon knowing that their possession of imported rice is illegal. It was further learned that the sacks of rice totalling more or less 6,000 found are locally sourced. However, she did not comment about the imported rice when asked,” Mabanag said.

According to Yarra, they did not arrest the employees of the warehouse and instead only took samples of the rice varieties they found during the inspection: Jasmine Rice, New Life Sinandomeng, MGC Gold Carp, Tiger Brand, R & E, Gold Harvest, Kokuyu, Golden Tiger, Strawberry, and Pigeon.

These samples will be tested and the papers of the rice dealer will be validated by the NFA, whose representatives were also present during the raid.

“We’d like to know if they’re authorized to store such volume of rice or if they’re liable for unauthorized possession of sacks of NFA rice,” Yarra told The STAR.

If found guilty of hoarding and illegal re-bagging of NFA rice, the Cuas will be held liable under Presidential Decree 4 as amended by the NFA’s revised rules and regulations over the grain business, Mabanag said.

Malabon cracks down on traders

Malabon City Mayor Canuto Oreta alerted residents yesterday against rice hoarders and retailers in local markets selling a mix of NFA and commercial rice and retailing them at higher prices.

He also directed the Community Urban Poor Affair Office to relay to barangay leaders his “alert order” against traders illegally stockpiling rice.

Oreta urged barangays officials to report to his office or the local police unscrupulous traders taking advantage of the current situation.

Oreta also ordered city market administrator Joey Gutierrez to coordinate with local price coordinator Rodolfo Bautista to make sure that rice and other basic commodities are not overpriced.

Gutierez said Malabon Central Market, Concepcion Market, Hulong Duhat Market, Acacia Market and Sancti Joseph Market are under tight watch.        

Bautista assured that Malabon City would have enough rice and would not experience a shortage of supply.

He said that three registered retailers of NFA rice in the city have already been given an additional 50 sacks, which could be bought at Malabon Central Market at P18.25 per kilo. 

Aside from NFA rice, Bautista said residents could also purchase regular milled rice or RMR at P28 to P32 a kilo and well-milled rice or WMR at P33 to P37 a kilo.  – With Pete Laude, Jerry Botial, Eva Visperas