BOC seizes over 200,000 sacks of smuggled rice in Bulacan

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) said Sunday it confiscated 236,571 sacks of smuggled rice discovered in four warehouses in Bulacan province.

The BOC said they were waiting for the comments of the government prosecutor regarding the seizure, but noted that the necessary warrants were already issued to the people involved.

On Friday, the BOC Bureau Action Team Against Smuggling (BATAS) filed four smuggling charges before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against rice smugglers in Bulacan.

Lawyer William Balayo, the acting director of the BOC’s legal service, said over the weekend that they filed three charges of economic sabotage against three importers, and one charge for violating the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) under Agricultural Product Smuggling.

The charges stemmed from the inspection the BOC initiated in Bulacan on August 24.

Meanwhile, the agency said it also issued letters of authority to warehouses in Cavite and Las Piñas City, and two more in Manila.

The BOC was waiting for the owners of two warehouses in Cavite and Las Piñas City to submit the necessary documents, while the inventory for the other warehouses in Manila was still ongoing.

Over 42,000 sacks of smuggled rice in Zamboanga City were also seized. These were eventually donated to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) after the importers failed to present documents to defend the legality of their importation.

The BOC said that donated rice was distributed to beneficiaries of the DSWD’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) led by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. himself in Tungawan, Zamboanga Sibugay; San Roque, Zamboanga City; General Trias City, Cavite; Iriga City, Camarines Sur; San Andres, Manila; Dapa, Surigao del Norte; and Dinagat Islands.

A case build-up was earlier being conducted for the filing of charges against the reported smugglers in Zamboanga City.

The BOC said the President directed them to continue their efforts against smugglers and hoarders who were behind the price manipulation schemes and were responsible for driving up the price of rice.

“Ang bukbok na lubos na sumisira sa balanse ng suplay at presyo ng bigas sa merkado [ay] ang hoarding at saka ang smuggling, at price manipulation na ginagawa ng mapagsamantalang mga negosyante,” Marcos said.

(The factors that undermine the balance of supply and price of rice in the market is hoarding, smuggling, and price manipulation by exploitative businessmen.) — DVM, GMA Integrated News