Biazon frees Leyte rice

CEBU, Philippines - Two weeks after Bureau of Customs (BOC)-Cebu held 16,000 bags of rice intended for Isabel, Leyte, Commissioner Rufino "Ruffy" Biazon ordered their release during his last day of office Friday.

The rice is now in Isabel town and would soon be distributed, said Isabel Association of Barangay Councils Ramon Tan.

"Niabot na ang barko diri sa amo-a (The ship carrying the rice arrived in our place) at 4 a.m. today (yesterday). According to our in-charge in Cebu, there are no conditions set by the bureau for its release. Meaning, nakita nila nga walay (they saw that there was no) irregularity sa (in the) shipment," he said.

BOC-Cebu District Collector Roberto Almadin said one of Biazon's last orders before he left last Friday was to order the release of the Leyte rice.

But Customs-Enforcement and Security Services in Cebu Commander Camilo Cascolan, Jr. lamented why they were not informed of the release of the shipment.

"It is their prerogative na i-release agad yan if there are compelling reasons, but they should have informed us dahil nagkagulo kami. We did not know what was going on," he told The FREEMAN.

There were reports that Customs police, who were guarding the ship at Pier 2 in Cebu City, has to fire warning shots when the vessel started to move away from the pier.

"Yun na nga. Hindi dapat mangyari yan (That should not have happened) if they have informed us," said Cascolan, who was the one who issued the alert order when the vessel arrived in Cebu two weeks ago.

He said he was surprised to learn that the rice was already released without the Customs knowing the real donor and donee.

"This is considering further that ang dami nag-claim," said the customs police commander, whose office supposedly is the one taking custody of the rice.

The shipment, which came from Manila, became controversial when it arrived in Cebu because it was meant for Isabel, Leyte.

Philippine Phosphate Fertilizer (Philphos), consignee of the shipment, had said through Tan, company vice president for port operations, that the rice was intended for Isabel residents victimized by super typhoon Yolanda.

Philphos, which has a manufacturing plant in Isabel, has been helping the town recover from the effects of Yolanda by assisting in the giving of relief aid.

Tan said the ship carrying the rice had to drop by Cebu City first to pick up 12,000 relief packs coming from the office of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano for distribution in their town and in Isabel's neighboring municipalities.

Tan even showed to Cebu media documents stating Philphos paid P27.1 million to Maunlad Rice Mill in Bulacan for the rice.

Tan and Isabel Mayor Marcos Gregorio Cerillo had vouched that the rice shipment was not smuggled, contrary to the suspicion of the BOC.

Cascolan said he would seek clarifications on the said released of shipment on Monday.—/RHM (FREEMAN)