LUMILITAW na tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang smuggling operation ng mga taong nasa likod ng pagpupuslit ng tone-toneladang sibuyas sa Pilipinas matapos na madiskubre ng Bureau of Custom ang 18 containers ng ‘misdeclared onions.’
Mismong si Customs (BOC) Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio at District Collector Arnoldo Famor ang nagsagawa ng pagsusuri sa dumating na18 containers na pinaghihinalaang naglalaman ng misdeclared red and yellow onions sa Manila International Container Port (MICP).
Ito ay kasunod ng intel report na natanggap ng BOC-MICP hinggil sa kuwestyunableng shipments na nakumpirmang naglalamang ng pula at puting sibuyas na tahasang paglabag sa Department of Agriculture (DA) Department Circular No. 04 Series of 2016.
Una rito ay hiniling ng Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS-MICP) Field Office, na pinamumunuan ni Chief Alvin Enciso, na magsagawa ng physical examination sa target shipment na may derogatory information mula China.
Ang kargamento ay saklaw ng ilang Bills of Lading at sari saring goods declarations na nagdeklarang naglalaman ng pizza dough at fishballs o bola-bola.
Subalit maging ang mga pizza doughs na ginamit para itago ang red and yellow onions ay hindi covered by requisite license and permit mula sa Food and Drug Administration (FDA), at paglabag sa Republic Act No. 9711 or the Foods and Drugs Act of 2009.
Kasunod nito ay naglabas ng Warrants of Seizure and Detention (WSD) laban sa shipments si District Collector Arnoldo Famor dahil sa violating Section 1400 na may kaugnayan sa Section 117 ng Republic Act 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), R.A. No. 9711 at D.A. Department Circular No. 04 Series of 2016.
“The BOC shall continue to maximize its intelligence resources and capabilities and intensify enforcement measures against unscrupulous importers and their cohorts to combat smuggling attempts, especially those involving agricultural goods which are inimical to our local farmers and businesses,” pahayag pa ni Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio. (VICTOR BALDEMOR RUIZ)
