THE Bureau of Customs (BOC), with the support from Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francis Tiu Laurel, gave several rice traders in Bulacan, 15 days to prove their legal importation of rice after an inspection of several warehouses in Bulacan province last December 16.
Acting on information, Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, earlier issued a ‘LOA’ (Letter of Authority) for the inspection of 9 warehouses in Bocaue and Balagtas found to be storing thousands of sacks of rice.
An inventory of the facilities totaled the stored rice at 249,500 bags worth P661 million.
Rubio and Laurel visited some of the warehouses two days after the inspection, on December 18, accompanied by members of Congress headed by Deputy Majority Leader Erwin Tulfo (ACT-CIS Partylist) for a talk with some of the traders.
During their dialogue, Rubio explained the BOC’s visitation power thru the LOA to inspect warehouses and other facilities suspected of storing smuggled goods.
The LOA authorizes customs officers to demand evidence of payment of duties and taxes on imported goods openly for sale or kept in storage, as provided under Section 224 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).
To mitigate the possible impact of the inspections on the supply and affordability of rice, the BOC, supported by the DA, allowed the warehouse owners to continue their operations under strict oversight.
The warehouse owners were also given 15 days to submit proof of their payment of duties and taxes as mandated by law.
Aside from Tulfo, other contingent from Congress during the dialogue include Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales, Jr., representing House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez; Deputy Speaker David Suarez; Rep. Janette Garin; Rep. Mark Enverga; and Rep. Horacio Suansing, Jr.