BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
Following the raids carried out on sugar warehouses in Luzon this week, United Sugar Producers Federation (UNIFED) President Manuel Lamata said yesterday morning that the seized sacks of sugar are only the “tip of the iceberg.”
According to Lamata, authorities should also include the two big sugar mills located in Bukidnon in their inspections.
He said the government should also conduct an inventory of all sugar mills in the country to determine if they are hoarding a big volume of sugar.
“The government should start the inventory in two big mills in Bukidnon. Authorities will be surprised to discover the large amount of sugar,” he said.
Lamata also revealed that he was one of the sugar planters who urged President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. to raid the warehouses located in Pampanga and Bulacan on Thursday, August 18, saying the spike in the prices of sugar was due to hoarding.
“More traders are hoarding the sugar supply. That is why I’ve been complaining and complaining and attacking my best friend, [resigned Sugar Regulatory Administrator (SRA) Hermenegildo Serafica]. I requested him as president of the biggest sugar federation but he just ignored me, no inventory, no nothing,” Lamata said.
He said the retail prices of the refined sugar should range from P75 to P85 per kilo with the increase in the supply of the sweetener in the local markets.
Based on the daily market monitoring of the Department of Agriculture (DA) yesterday, the retail price of refined sugar is still pegged at P100 per kilo.
On Thursday, Negros Occidental 5th district Congressman Emilio “Dino” Yulo III called on the national government to intensify its crackdown against sugar hoarders.
Yulo, who is also a former board member of the SRA, said the operation by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) is part of the government’s drive to ensure that they have sufficient domestic supply of sugar.
Aside from the warehouses in Pampanga and Bulacan, the BOC also seized a total of 7,000 metric tons of sugar at the Subic Port in Zambales.
It was later found out that the seized sacks of sugar in Zambales had “recycled import permits.”
In a report by the Philippine News Agency, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said heads may roll at the BOC if evidence shows that any of the bureau’s port personnel are in connivance with smugglers using recycled sugar import permits.
She further said at least one of the warehouses inspected yesterday in Bulacan and Pampanga was not registered with the SRA.
“Suspicions were raised when the owner claimed that the stockpile was the result of slow sales. ‘Matumal’ daw,” Cruz-Angeles said.
“Dun pa sa hinarang na shipment, gamit pa daw ang permit from Sugar Order No. 3. Kung totoo ito, lalong nagiging suspicious ‘yung madaliang paglabas ng Sugar Order No. 4,” she added./PN
