Ombuds asks BOC: Explain missing bags of rice

CEBU, Philippines - Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol said their office issued a subpoena to employees of the Bureau of Customs (BOC)-Cebu to shed light on the issue of rice pilferage.

The Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas stepped in to investigate after reports broke out in the media. The anti-graft office is conducting a fact-finding investigation based on newspaper reports.

He said before the issuance of the subpoena, he already assigned an investigator but refused to divulge the identity as part of their standard operating procedure.

Aside from that, Apostol said their office is now coordinating with the Commission on Audit (COA)-7 for the gathering of evidence.

The concerned employees of BOC were directed to issue a statement on the matter.

Last March 18 to April 12, 2013, the BOC Cebu seized an estimated 500,000 bags of smuggled rice from Vietnam at the Cebu International Port. The bags of rice were placed in 1,194 units of 20-footer container van.

As of last month’s inspection, 272 bags of rice were missing. These were placed in nine different container vans.

Aside from the Office of the Ombudsman, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-7 also conducted an investigation on the matter.

NBI-7 director Antonio Pagatpat assigned lawyers Donavar Inesin and Bernard Dela Cruz and Special Investigator Teodoro Saavedra to conduct the investigation.

Earlier, the NBI sent a letter to the BOC requesting them to hold nine container vans pending investigation. This is to determine the exact number of missing bags of rice.

The smuggled bags of rice were consigned to eight different companies namely JJM Global Trading, JM-ARS Trading, Neon Gateway Trading, Ocean Park Enterprises, Custans Enterprises, Melma Enterprises, NMW Enterprises, and MMSM Trading.

The bags of rice were misdeclared as stone slabs, ceiling insulator slabs, granite slabs and wall insulator slabs.

Based on reports, the BOC on August 15 has filed smuggling charges against Jane Mabano, owner of MMSM Trading before the Department of Justice (DOJ). She was tagged in the alleged illegal importation of rice from Vietnam that arrived at the Port of Cebu on March 31.

Customs Commissioner Rufino Biazon said Mabano violated the Tariffs and Customs Code. — (FREEMAN)