P68-M rice seized in Davao set for auction

MANILA, Philippines - Authorities will auction off some 2,366 metric tons of imported rice seized by agents of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in the port of Davao last year.

The BOC yesterday said port officials would sell the rice to the public on Dec. 17. The sale is expected to generate P68.458 million in revenues for the agency.

Bidders should be licensed grain wholesalers or retailers of the National Food Authority (NFA) and must register with the BOC at least two days prior to the auction date.

Ricardo Butalid Jr., acting district collector in Davao, said the price of glutinous rice was pegged at P49 per kilo while long grain was at P27 per kilo. 

The goods will be made available for public viewing on Dec. 15 and 16.

The rice shipments consisted of 43,160 sacks of long grain white rice and 4,160 bags of glutinous rice from Thailand and Vietnam, respectively.

Consigned to the San Carlos Multipurpose Cooperative (Sacamuco), the BOC seized the shipments in September 2013 due to the importer’s failure to secure import permits from the NFA.

Since the rice shipments are still the subject of ongoing cases, proceeds from the auction will be kept in trust by the BOC.

Last February, the BOC filed smuggling charges against officials of Sacamuco for the illegal importation of over 28,000 sacks of rice with an estimated market value of P34 million. 

Investigation showed the importing firm did not declare the actual quantity of rice and its country of origin.

Sacamuco had been identified as one of the consignees that used to bring rice into the country, allegedly without import permits.