BOC to donate seized P42-m smuggled rice for gov’t programs

The Bureau of Customs is considering donating the confiscated 42,180 bags of imported rice to some departments implementing government assistance programs.

In a news forum, BOC-Port of Zamboanga chief Benito Lontok said the plan to donate the smuggled rice for the implementation of the Department of Agriculture's Kadiwa Program and the Department of Social Welfare and Development's assistance programs is still "subject to approval" of BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio and Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno.

"Idu-donate po yata sa (It might be donated for the implementation of a) government program, I don't know po kung Kadiwa or sa DSWD (if it would be donated for Kadiwa or DSWD's programs). Pero 'yun po ay pinag-uusapan pa (It is still being discussed)," Lontok said.

The smuggled rice, amounting to P42 million, was seized during a raid at a warehouse in Barangay San Jose Gusu in Zamboanga City. The local bureau inspected the warehouse on 19 May after receiving information that smuggled rice was being stored in the area.

Lontok said authorities found irregularities, although the warehouse owner, BLY Agri-Venture Trading, was able to submit import documents.

There were disparities between the actual seized goods and the descriptions provided in the submitted documents, he added.

"The payment records submitted referred to a shipment of White Rice 15 percent Broken, while the physical examination confirmed that the confiscated rice was Jasmine Fragrant Rice," he said.

Lontok added the warehouse also lacked the necessary Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance from the Bureau of Plant Industry.

"That's why we issued a warrant of seizure and detention, and eventually na-forfeit po iyong goods (the goods were forfeited) in favor of the government," he said.

On 1 September, the BOC-POZ issued an Order of Forfeiture for violating the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, Rice Tariffication Law, and Republic Act No. 10845, otherwise known as the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016.

The BOC said they will conduct more inspections of warehouses following a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. "to address hoarding and illegal rice importation" in the country.

In late August, the BOC raided three warehouses in Bulacan allegedly storing smuggled rice reportedly worth over P500 million.