Zambo wants task force vs rice smuggling

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines- - The city government and the Bureau of Customs (BoC) are heading for a clash due to the rice smuggling problem that remains unabated with the imported staple still finding its way to the retailers in the market.

Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar has requested former Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization, to study the possibility of creating a national task force on Anti-Rice Smuggling to guide local government units and law enforcement agencies in the conduct of anti-smuggling operations.

Salazar said they are making the request following reports that some 12,000 sacks of alleged smuggled rice seized in series of military and police operations in this city in recent months have been released by the BoC.

“I am not happy to note that there were 12,000 sacks of rice that [operatives from] Task Force Zamboanga in coordination with the police confiscated and seized but these were released again by a particular agency of government,” Salazar said in a press briefing here.

Salazar said she communicated with Pangilinan to request the creation of a national task force on anti-smuggling to guide local government units and law enforcers.

The local chief executive observed that since last year some of the confiscated smuggled rice done by the Task Force Zamboanga, Coast Guard and the Philippine National Police (PNP) were released by the BoC.

The seized rice have been  turned over to the customs here for proper disposition.

Salazar believes that Pangilinan's directives will ensure  proper coordination between the apprehending authorities and the BoC.

“We appeal for the creation of the task force because there were complaints from local rice dealers and shipowners that there were many confiscation [of smuggled rice]  but these were later released,” Salazar added.