4,000 sacks of rice seized in Subic pilfered

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Customs (BOC) said yesterday only 426,000 of the 430,000 bags of rice smuggled from India were accounted for.

X-Ray Inspection Project field officer Filemon Obejas Jr., in a memorandum to XIP chief Ma. Lourdes Mangaoang, said 4,000 sacks were lost to pilferers.

The XIP said the pilferage occured at the warehouse in the Freeport’s naval security depot, where the rice shipment was stored.

XIP said Obejas and Subic port district collector Carmelita Talusan, while conducting an ocular inspection of the shipment at around 2:30 p.m. on July 27, discovered the pilferage.

The shipment was reportedly consigned to Metro Eastern Trading Corp., a locator at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Members of the BOC-Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service and Enforcement and Security Service seized the rice shipment for lack of import permit from the National Food Authority.  

The shipment arrived on Vinalines Mighty last April 4.

 Meanwhile, President Aquino said he has full trust and confidence in the capability of Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon to investigate the alleged rice smuggling. 

“I don’t think I have to order any investigation. I would assume that Commissioner Biazon, among other concerned officials, would be undertaking the probe by now,” Aquino said in a chance interview at Malacañang. 

He said he would just wait for the progress report of the BOC. 

The other day, the Senate committee on agriculture – through Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile – ordered the BOC to retain in its custody the 420,000 sacks of smuggled rice from India and confiscate them until the smugglers are identified and held responsible for the illegal activity. 

Enrile expressed discontent with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) leadership and some locators in the Freeport for allowing such an illegal transshipment despite stringent rules.          – With Delon Porcalla