BOC to auction smuggled rice today

CEBU, Philippines - The Bureau of Customs-Cebu expects to earn at least P254 million from the 162,240 bags of seized smuggled rice that will be set for auction today.

"Tuloy ang bidding bukas," said BOC-Cebu district collector Edward dela Cuesta yesterday of the auction, which will be held at 10 a.m.

Arneth Manquiquis, head of the inventory team, said that more than ten rice traders, mostly from Manila, registered yesterday to bid for the confiscated rice.

Manquiquis said interested buyers have initially viewed the estimated 15 different rice varieties.

"Naa may mga samples sa bugas, siguro more than 15 na ka mga varieties ang ilaha nang natan-aw. Naay mga rice traders from Cebu nga ni-register as bidders but kasagaran mga NFA rice traders from Manila," said Manquiquis.

Dante Maranan, chief of the auction and disposal unit, said the proceeds of the auction will form part of their August collection, which they expect to be much higher.

He added that they will try to auction the remaining seized smuggled rice.

The rice shipment, with estimated value of P950 million to P1 billion, is part of the 520,000 bags of smuggled rice that were loaded in the 1,069 container vans from Vietnam that was seized by the bureau in April.

It was misdeclared as stone and wooden slabs.

BOC-Cebu already earned around P40 million in the first auction in June.--/BRP (FREEMAN)