31 charged in rice smuggling case

MANILA, Philippines - Thirty-one officers of four multi-purpose cooperatives in Central Luzon are facing criminal charges before the Department of Justice (DOJ) in connection with the smuggling of P93 million worth of rice in Legazpi City.

Charged yesterday were directors of Pampanga-based Kapatirang Takusa Multi-Purpose Cooperative Orlando Manimbot, Juanito Mangilit, Joseph Guevarra, Alfredo Manimbo, Tommy Navarro, Jaime Bitangcol and Efren Bulaon; officers of Pampanga-based Ugnayan Magbubukid ng San Isidro Cooperative Emily Alabado, Christopher Hernandez, Editha Alabado, Teresita Manalastas, Arly Guevarra, Luciano Alabado and Santiago Francisco; officers of Bulacan-based Malampampang Concerned Citizens Multi-Purpose Cooperative Cipriano Evangelista, Ernesto Gonzales, Guillermo Marcelo, Edgardo Evangelista, Henry Ochoco, Milagros Pelayo, Nelson Evangelista, Arden Evangelista and Jessie de la Cruz; officers of Samahang Magsasaka Kapampangan at Katagalogan Multi-Purpose Cooperative Maximo Hernandez, John Ray Retobado, Ponciano Hernandez, Dominador Lalu, Felipe Mangilit, Michael Manliclic and Danilo Santos.

Customs Commissioner Rufino Biazon said the respondents were suspected consignees in the foiled attempt to smuggle 78,000 bags of rice from Vietnam.

“We will never allow any multi-purpose cooperative to exploit their rice importation allocation privileges for illegal activities,” he said.

Biazon said the alleged illegal rice shipment from Vietnam which arrived on Sept. 2, 2012 did not have the required import permits in violation of the Tariffs and Customs Code of the Philippines.

“We will carefully review the entries of all rice importations to ensure that these are covered with the required permits and importation quota allocations are not violated,” he said.

“While we support the cause of cooperatives, we will, however, strictly enforce the country’s customs rules and laws.”

The Kapatiran was the suspected consignee for 21,000 bags of rice worth P25,200,000.

However, it only had a rice quota allocation balance of 19,000 bags at the time of importation.

The officers of Pampanga-based Ugnayan Magbubukid ng San Isidro Cooperative were the suspected consignees of 21,000 bags of rice from Vietnam worth P25,200,000.

Their imported rice allocation quota balance at that time was only for 6,800 bags.

The officers of Bulacan-based Malampampang Concerned Citizens Multi-Purpose Cooperative were the suspected consignees of 18,000 bags of rice from Vietnam worth P21,600,000. Their rice importation quota allocation balance was only 6,900 bags.

And Samahang Magsasaka Kapampangan at Katagalogan Multi-Purpose Cooperative officers were suspected consignees of 18,000 bags of rice from Vietnam worth P21,600,000.

Their rice importation quota allocation balance at the time was only for 14,000 bags. – With Zinnia de la Peña, Jose Rodel Clapano