Butuan PNP dared on rice smuggling mess

BUTUAN CITY – As the mystery of the vanishing cargo ship deepens and seems to be heading nowhere, concerned civil society and anti-crime groups challenged the police and other agencies to identify the trader and Caraga politicians involved in the ship’s disappearance.

A wealthy and influential Filipino-Chinese trader is reportedly owns the more than 17,000 sacks of first class rice from Vietnam smuggled aboard cargo ship M/V Rodeo from Manila and Cebu City.

Anti-crime groups here also wanted the PNP to unmask a big-time politician who is allegedly the protector of the wealthy Filipino Chinese trader in his smuggling activities. The Caraga politician’s name was also dragged in the Cebu City drug, used clothing and rice smuggling activities.

Authorities from Cebu and Butuan cities, however, were afraid to divulge or unmask the politician’s identity for fear of losing their jobs and of reprisals, as the politician is allegedly well connected even up to Malacañang.

Earlier, Sen. Manny Villar suspected smuggling would not prosper unless it involved higher police, customs, Philippine Ports Authority and Coast Guard authorities.

The cargo ship M/V Rodeo loaded with some 15,00 sacks of smuggled rice from Vietnam docked at Masao Port in Barangay Lumbocan this city, last July 11 at about 7:30 p.m.

Acting on a tip, Butuan City Western Police Precinct operatives headed by Police Senior Inspector Reynaldo Galola Batoon swooped down on the ship at about 1 a.m. July 12 and confiscated about 15,000 sacks of smuggled rice from Vietnam.

Butuan City Police Director Felix Gonzales sought the assistance of the Philippine Coast Guard, the Bureau of Customs and the Philippine National Police Maritime Command to witness on board confiscation of the smuggle rice.

But only some 1,200 sacks were unloaded from the ship, said Nestor Macamay, president of truck drivers association of Butuan City.

Butuan City police records bared that only 700 sacks of rice were actually hauled by them and deposited it at the City Mayor’s office not at the NFA as earlier announced by Caraga Police Regional Director Alberto Rama Olario.

National Food Authority Investigator Vic Macuan told The STAR he had never seen the 700 sacks of rice as alleged by Butuan Police that they have kept it at the Butuan City Mayor’s office.

Macuan said he went to the City Hall yesterday morning to verify the presence of the smuggled rice and whether it was able to pay taxes. He claimed he was barred entry by City Hall security guards.

Macuan vowed he would report the incident to NFA national office in Manila.