Custody of the 5,000 sacks of smuggled rice seized by authorities over the weekend will be transferred to the National Food Authority (NFA) 11, according to an official of the Bureau of Customs in the Port of Davao yesterday.
The M/L Sunlight-V, the vessel that carried the alleged smuggled rice along with the 12 members of the crew are in the custody of the Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao (NFEM). Each sack of rice (50kg each) is labeled Super Angelica Premium Grade Super Long Grain White Rice.
BOC-Davao District Collector Erastus Sandino-Austria said after issuing a Warrant of Seizure and Detention (WSD) covering the vessel and its cargos in favor of the government yesterday, the Philippine Navy will transfer custody of the 5,000 sacks of rice to the BOC-Port of Davao.
Austria said BOC-Davao will in turn transfer the contraband cargo to the custody of NFA temporarily until such time that its inventory to determine if the 5,000 sacks of rice is the exact number is completed.
He said the 5,000 sacks is equivalent to approximately 250 MT with an estimated total value of P4.6 million, which is the dutiable value of the 250 MT (of about the same quantity of the previous transaction of a legit importer).
After inventory, the suspected will be sold by the government wherein proceeds will go to the national treasury, according to Austria.
“Or it can be donated for the rehab efforts in Marawi. It depends on the discretion of the BOC Commissioner,” Austria said, referring to Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapena.
Austria said continues monitoring of the crew of the vessel will be done by the Philippine Navy along with the Customs Police and the PNP Maritime Group.
“We’re just very glad that finally we have verified the intelligence report since this has been circulating in the intelligence community of the different law enforcement agencies that there is this problem here and we have been deploying our personnel and assets repeatedly but dili jud nato ma pinpoint, finally they are apprehended,” he said.
Austria said members of the crew have asserted that they are doing local transshipment from Zamboanga area particularly Sulu. However, the crew has no permits from the NFA as transporters or wholesalers.
“Tama ang atong intel that this is an illegal importation of rice wala man sila’y mga papeles. It is illegal because there are no rice fields in Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Basilan provinces,” he said.
Austria said the Marina is also present to verify if the vessel is allowed for international trade. He said when they checked their “booklet” it was marked from Malaysia.
“Presumably, gikan sila sa Malaysia according to the intelligence. All countries neighboring the Philippines that grow rice are potential sources of smuggled rice not just Malaysia. Ang Bureau of Customs and other agencies dugay na nay intelligence on alleged rice smuggling in the areas particularly in the borders of Compostela Province and Davao Oriental,” he said.
The vessel was intercepted by the navy night on November 18. Austria said he issued a mission order on Nov. 7 directing customs intelligence personnel and the personnel of the sub-port of Mati to monitor their area between the borders and to conduct surveillance and investigation on the reported rice shipment of a boat/vessel that is scheduled to arrive at the general vicinity of the coast areas alongside the border of Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental provinces including the municipality of Banay-banay.
“When I assumed in April this year I was briefed by the Customs Police and Customs Intelligence about the matter, initially during that time I issued mission order to the deploy our personnel to verify the said Intel,” he said.
He said upon coordination with other law enforcement agencies and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) they were receiving same Intel about rice smuggling.
“Kabalo man ta nga atong coatlines taas kayo kami sa Customs ang bantay namo is pantalan pagkabalo mi nga nay incoming atangan na namo. Ang nahitabo anis a mga niaging bulan suguro makabalo sila nga naa mi sa particular area dili madayon an gpag abot sa lantsa,” he said.
Last Saturday (November 18), informant of BOC announced there is an incoming and BOC personnel were deployed again at 9 pm.
“Initially the word was the vessel was apprehended by the navy intercepted the vessel off the coast of Samal as early as 10 a.m of Saturday the vessel was spotted at the coasts of Davao Occidental and Sarangani Province,” he said.
Some 12 crew, including the captain of a motorboat carrying 5,000 sacks of rice, were apprehended by the Naval Forces of Eastern Mindanao (NFEM) in a joint Counter-Action operation conducted off Arena Point, Davao Oriental on Saturday night.
Ensign Aileens Jansor, spokesperson of the Philippine Navy in Eastern Mindanao, said NFEM personnel led by Captain Hadun Hamil apprehended the 12 boat crew aboard M/L Sunlight motorboat off the waters of Davao Oriental after they failed to present documents for their goods.
The Naval forces also confiscated the 5,000 sacks of rice.
The arrested crew are now in the custody of NFEM since Monday morning for further investigation.
Janson said the crew could not present authentic NFA (National Food Authority) shipping permits/transport documents.
The vessel was also apprehended after the Naval forces noted some violations.
“The BUCOS, PNP (Philippine National Police) Maritime and NFA were already informed,” she said.
Jansor said the boat was traveling from Zamboanga City to Compostela Valley.
“Initially they are supposed to bring the rice to a certain family in Maco, Comval,” she added.
A joint operation was conducted by the Naval Task Group 71 along with BRP Magat Salamat (Patrol Ship/PS20) and BRP Heracleo Allano (Patrol Craft 376) of Joint Task Force Haribon and two teams of Naval Special Operations Unit 7. (Rhoda Grace Saron/PNA)
