Senate to resume rice smuggling probe

MANILA, Philippines - The Senate committee on agriculture and food will resume Wednesday its investigation into the alleged smuggling of about 420,000 sacks of rice at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

Sen. Francis Pangilinan, chairman of the committee, said Indian trader Protik Guha, chief executive officer of the Amira Food Inc., and four other officials will explain before the Senate why they should not be cited for contempt for hiding the real story on the alleged attempt to smuggle the rice cargo.

Aside from Guha, the Senate also summoned Stefani Saño of the SBMA, Cesar Bulaon of Metro Eastern Trading Corporation, Cesar Ramirez of a farmer’s cooperative in General Santos and Vicente Cuevas III.

Earlier, Guha, owner of the rice seized by the Bureau of Customs on May 15, denied that his company smuggled the rice shipment for distribution and sale in the country.

He maintained that the sacks of rice were intended for Indonesian markets.

But Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon belied Guha’s claims.