From Iloilo warehouse: NBI seizes 1,400 sacks of ‘re-bagged’ NFA rice

CEBU, Philippines - At least 1,400 sacks of rice from the National Food Authority, allegedly being repacked as commercial rice, have been confiscated by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation-Region 6 from a warehouse in Leganes town of Iloilo.

NBI-6 operatives, during a raid on Thursday, chanced upon 12 workers transferring NFA rice into commercial sacks inside the warehouse at Barangay Napnud.

NBI-6 special agent John Katipunan said the warehouse was registered under Dennis de Vicente, a businessman from San Enrique town of Iloilo.

De Vicente or any of his representative was not around when the raid was conducted, said Katipunan adding that the NFA has yet to confirm if the sacks of rice were from the agency.

The raid came after a report that imported rice from Vietnam were repacked in a warehouse in Leganes. Intelligence information had it that the rice came from an NFA warehouse in Roxas City of Capiz and were set for distribution in Iloilo.

During the raid, Katipunan said he and his colleagues found rice in white sacks, as well as empty NFA sacks discarded at the back of the warehouse. It was highly possible that workers emptied their contents and transferred it to the commercial-labelled sacks for these to be sold at a higher price, he said.

Katipunan said the warehouse was already padlocked after the raid and NBI-6 agents were also posted in the area to ensure that no evidence would be tampered with.

If evidence warrants, De Vicente will be charged for violation of Presidential Decree No. 4 or Diversion and Illegal Distribution of NFA rice. Further, traders convicted of repacking rice might also be removed from the NFA list of accredited dealers.

Several traders were recently caught re-bagging NFA rice into commercial rice bags or mix it with rice of better quality to fetch a higher price.  (FREEMAN)