PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. cited the Bureau of Customs (BOC) under Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio for its anti-smuggling effort that has already resulted to the confiscation of thousands of sacks of suspected smuggled rice all over the country.
The Chief Executive was in Zamboanga City on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, where he led in the distribution of confiscated rice totaling 42,180 sacks to select beneficiaries.
In his speech, Pres. Marcos cited the BOC for its “consistent investigation and inspection of warehouses suspected of storing smuggled rice,” as he also highlighted the bureau’s “pivotal role” in the campaign against illicit trade.
The rice hoard was formally seized by the BOC Port of Zamboanga under Collector Art Sevilla early this month of September after the warehouse owner failed to present documents to sufficiently proved that the rice entered the country legally despite a lapse of more than 3 months since the warehouse’s inspection.
It can be recalled that last May 19, 2023, operatives from the Intelligence Group under Deputy Commissioner Juvymax Uy and the Enforcement Group under Deputy Commissioner Teddy Raval, inspected the warehouse located in Bgy. San Jose Guzu, Zamboanga City, with the assistance from the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Marines, The inspection was based on a ‘LOA’ (Letter of Authority) approved by Rubio.
That initial inspection already resulted to the discovery of ‘discrepancies’ between the presented documents and the actual quality of rice the inspection group saw. It was also initially found that the shipment was not covered by the requisite Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance (SPSIC) from the Bureau of Plant Industry.
The proofs of payment submitted also referred to a shipment of “White Rice 15% Broken”, while based on the actual examination, the seized sacks of rice were Jasmine Fragrant Rice.”
Following the issuance of Executive Order No. 39 last August 31, 2023 that puts a retail price cap on rice, the President also ordered the BOC to intensify intelligence gathering efforts to identify and padlock warehouses suspected of storing smuggled rice.
The Bureau was also instructed to work closely with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for appropriate steps to address unwarranted price increases and supply shortage manipulation.
Meanwhile, owners of two warehouses in Bgy. Pulang Lupa, Las Piñas City and Bacoor, Cavite, were also directed by the BOC to present, within 15 days, documents attesting to the legality of the rice found inside the warehouses after an inspection last September 14, 2023.
The BOC said that prior to the actual visit, its operatives had already conducted “an extensive investigation, surveillance, and test purchases.”
Moving forward, the Palace also announced that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has been tasked to identify other regions and localities that can benefit from the distribution of confiscated smuggled rice.