PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. Has ordered the Bureau of Customs (BOC), to continue raiding warehouses to crack down on hoarders and illegal rice importers.
In a press briefing at Malacañang on Tuesday, Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio said that the BOC is intensifying its efforts to tackle illegal agricultural imports by validating all warehouses, especially those storing imported rice.
“As per the directive of the president, what we will do is validate all warehouses that are storing imported rice, and then upon validation, we will issue letters of authority to conduct inspections on these warehouses,” according to Bienvenido Rubio, Commissioner, BOC.
Rubio also provided updates on agency efforts, mentioning the recent surprise inspection of rice warehouses in Bulacan.
“In a recent service of a letter of authority, we served three letters of authority against three warehouses reportedly utilized in storing imported rice located at the intercity industrial complex San Juan Balagtas Bulacan,” Rubio added.
The three warehouses subjected to inspection were Great Harvest Rice Mill Warehouse at Intercity Industrial Complex, San Pedro Warehouse Intercity Industrial Complex, and FS Rice Mill Warehouse.
The BOC chief revealed that around Php 505 million worth of rice suspected of being illegally imported from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand were found in these warehouses.
Owners and operators of these warehouses have been prohibited from taking out goods unless they can show the necessary documents for their rice imports.
They have until September 8, 2023, to prove payment of necessary duties for the goods.
“The subject warehouses were sealed temporarily to secure the imported sacks of rice found therein, pending the completion of the inventory by the assigned examiners which will continue on today August 29,”
“The owners and operators of the warehouses were directed to submit proof of payment of duties and taxes due the subject imported sacks of rice within 15 days from the implementation of the LOA or until September 8, 2023,” Rubio said.
Meanwhile, Rubio assured that culprits will be charged if owners and operators of the mentioned warehouses are found guilty.
Rubio also mentioned the ongoing collaboration of BOC with the Department of Justice (DOJ) in filing charges against caught smugglers.
“For those charged, we are continuously filing cases, and now we are in close collaboration and coordination with DOJ to expedite the filing of charges against the smugglers we’ve caught and identified,” he said.
