ILOILO City – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) Collection District VI on Friday vehemently denied the alleged smuggling of P1-billion worth of rice at the Port of Iloilo.
Citing a source from the BOC, a Manila-based newspaper reported that 38,400 metric tons (MT) of allegedly smuggled rice from Vietnam were unloaded at the Iloilo port and had the blessings of top Customs officials.
In an official statement read by Acting Deputy Collector for Operations Noli P. Santua, Jr. during Friday’s press conference, the BOC-6 described the allegation as unfounded and tended to malign the good image of the BOC-Port of Iloilo. In the long history of the port, no rice smuggling has ever been recorded, he pointed out.
According to the Manila report, the rice shipment arrived in 10 ships between August 4 and 13, 2022. It added that as of Thursday afternoon, August 18, seven ships have unloaded their cargo, while the three others were waiting for their turn to dock.
The report identified six of the vessels as MV Hai Ha 58 with 3,800 MT of rice consigned to Kingfields Rice Solutions, Inc.; MV Hoa Binh 54 with 4,800 MT consigned to Farmint Corp.; MV Hai Dong 168 with 400 MT consigned to Marolao Gen. Mdse. and RLO Farm, and another 2,000 MT consigned to Pro Success Trading Corp.; MV Royal 18 with 3,800 MT consigned to Kingsfield Rice Solutions Inc.; MV Hai Ha 58 with 3,800 MT, of which 152,000 bags were in 25-kilogram per pack also consigned to Kingsfield Rice Solutions, Inc.; and MV Hoa Binh 54 with 4,800 MT consigned to Farmint Corp.
But according to Santua, the rice shipments on board MV Hai Ha 58, MV HOA BINH 54 and MV Hai Dang 168 were covered with clearances and permits issued by the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Plant Industry.
Such was in compliance with Republic Act No. 11203, or An Act Liberalizing the Importation, Exportation and Trading of Rice, Lifting for the Purpose the Quantitative Import Restriction on Rice, and For Other Purposes.
As to the MV Royal 18 which arrived at the Port of Iloilo last August 14, Santua said the Goods Declaration of the rice shipment loaded on the said vessel has been lodged at the Customs elm System while the vessel is currently at the anchorage area of the port awaiting for berthing space.
“We were all surprised by the report because ever since diri sa Port of Iloilo wala kita rice smuggling and on our part, we will never permit such activity to occur here in our port,” he said.
According to Santua, the allegation is unfair and added that if it is true, it should be supported by evidences and reported to them so they could take appropriate action.
He also said that they are waiting for instructions from BOC central office regarding the matter should there be legal actions to be taken up.
Santua noted that even the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Region 6 inquired to BOC-6 and requested some documents regarding the matter.
“We actually furnished them, we are transparent here. We are not hiding something,” Santua stressed.
Meantime, as far as rice importation is concerned, BOC-6 records show that there are around 20 rice importers based in the region.
BOC-6 also emphasized that as far as importation of agricultural products at the BOC-Port of Iloilo specifically rice is concerned, it has a big impact in the lawful revenue collection of the port.
Based on record, from January to July 2022, a total of 152,000 MT of rice were imported at the BOC-Port of Iloilo which generated a total revenue amounting to P901,875,170.20 which is 32 percent of the port’s total revenue for the said period.
As to the imported rice on board the said vessels alone, it has a total computed Customs duties, taxes, and other charges amounting to P83,322,586.68 which greatly contributes to the August 2022 revenue collection of the port.
The bureau further touted that with the combined efforts of the BOC-Port of Iloilo personnel and the untiring support of its stakeholders, in adherence to all existing laws and regulations, the Collection District VI already exceeded its annual collection target for 2022 as of August 16, 2022.
Initial data shows that the port collected a total revenue of P3,214,439,058.34, surpassing the 2022 collection target of P3,187,480,000.00 by P26,959,058.34 or 0.85 percent.
CONSIGNEE DENIES SMUGGLING CLAIMS
Kingfields Rice Solutions, Inc., one of the consignees of the imported rice unloaded in the Iloilo port, denied the smuggling allegation.
Atty. Hans Sayno, legal counsel of Kingfields Rice Solutions, Inc. based in Leganes, Iloilo, said his client is a legit corporation as rice importer and trader.
“Ang Kingfields Rice Solutions, Inc. isa ka lehitimo nga corporation nga naga-negosyo diri sa syudad sang Iloilo bilang isa ka rice importer and rice trader. Ang ila nga negosyo nasaad ini sa laye, waay sang illegal sini kundi nasaad ini sa rice regulation law, naga-import sia, may document halin sa Bureau of Plant Industry tapos kumpleto man ang bayad sa BOC, tapos nagabayad man sang port fees,” Sayno clarified in an interview over Bombo Radyo Iloilo.
He touted that the company has even been awarded in 2020 and 2022 as one of the highest tax or tariff payers of the BOC.
“Diin sila nagkuha sang sina nga data kay para makahambal nga ang isa ka tawo smuggler? Ang iya nga ginapasulod nga goods halin sa sagwa wala nasaad sa laye, wala nagabayad sang nagakadapat nga tariff or taxes, ti ang aton ya daw kumpleto man to. Bilang ginbansagan ang amon client nga isa ka smuggler daw masakit man ina para sa ila,” Sayno added.
He also does not discount the possibility that competition is one of the motives of all these allegations.
“Indi man ta makasiling gilayon pero may posibilidad nga basi amo man ina kay ti gulpi lang nagwa ya sa newspaper nga smuggler ka nga wala man sang balasihan. Ti name na tani kon ang Custom gid ang naghambal nga smuggler kay value pero ini indi ko ma-intidihan, gulpi lang nagtuhaw, so makita naton da nga daw may demolition job nga angle pero indi pa ta maka-verify, pangitaon ta gid galing ang puno,” Sayno added.
BOC PROBES ALLEGED RICE SMUGGLING
Meanwhile, the BOC central office on Friday said a probe is underway on the reported unloading of smuggled rice in Iloilo port.
In a statement, Customs Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz said the BOC is coordinating with other government agencies and stakeholders involved in the release of the shipment.
“An investigation on the four alleged smuggled rice shipments that arrived on board 20 vessels at the Port of Iloilo is ongoing. We are still awaiting the official report on the matter from the Port of Iloilo. Coordination has been made with various public and private organizations involved in the inspection of shipments, such as the Bureau of Plant Industry of the Department of Agriculture; Societe Generale de Surveillance (SGS), the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing, and certification company; and the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement/ASEAN Industrial Cooperation Scheme,” the BOC chief added. (With a report from Philippine News Agency)/PN
