Indian rice trader, 4 others quizzed on shipment

MANILA, Philippines - The Senate committee on agriculture yesterday ordered an Indian businessman tagged in the alleged illegal rice importation in Subic and four others to explain why they should not be cited for contempt for not telling the truth before the panel.

Upon the recommendation of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Sen. Francis Pangilinan, chairman of the Senate committee on agriculture and food, gave the orders to Protik Guha, chief executive officer of Amira Foods; Stefani Saño of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority; Cesar Bulaon of Metro Eastern Trading Corp.; Cesar Ramirez of a farmers’ cooperative in General Santos City; and Vicente Cuevas III.

“Clearly, someone is lying, or everyone is,” Pangilinan said. “We seek to know the truth. We will examine thoroughly their documents and decide how to proceed.”

In yesterday’s hearing, Guha, owner of the contested rice seized by the Bureau of Customs (BOC), denied that his company brought in the rice for distribution and sale in the country.

This prompted Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon to say that Guha’s statement contradicted the documents submitted by Metro Eastern.

Guha also claimed that a farmers’ cooperative represented by Ramirez e-mailed him asking they would be willing to buy the rice.

“These all seem like a long chain of comical series of rigmarole, one that must have been going on for a long time. Only it is not funny, and the Senate investigating committee is not laughing,” Pangilinan said.

In the same hearing, Enrile questioned Guha over his business and his dealings with Cuevas, Bulaon, Sano and Ramirez.