MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Tuesday ordered the Bureau of Customs to strengthen its efforts against rice hoarding and illegal importation, with 3 warehouses in Bulacan already inspected on the matter.

BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio said letters of authority were served to Great Harvest Rice Mill, San Pedro, and FS Rice Mill warehouses in Barangay San Juan, Balagtas in Bulacan, subject to the visitorial powers of the Commission.

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BOC found that the warehouses imported rice 202,000 rice sacks from Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand estimated to be worth P505 million, said Rubio.

"The owners and operators of the warehouses were directed to submit proofs of payment of duties and taxes due the subject imported sacks of rice within 15 days from the implementation of the LOA or until September 8, 2023," Rubio told Palace reporters.

"Per the directive of the President, ang gagawin natin ay we will validate all warehouses that are storing imported rice and then upon validation, we will then issue letters of authority to conduct inspection in these warehouses," he added.

"[We will] validate if these imported rice that are stored in these warehouses are paid with correct duties and taxes," he said.

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BOC Director Verne Enciso said parties would need to provide import documents and lease contracts of the warehouses and would be part of the investigation.

HOARDED RICE?

Rubio said BOC would need a response from the warehouse owners in 15 days before they issue a warrant of seizure and detention to confiscate the imported rice. Discussions on selling this to the market was so far unclear.

For now, he said they could not conclude these were hoarded.

"We are still checking kung mayroon silang maipakita sa atin. Kung maipakita naman, then we will be releasing the cargo. Kung walang maipakita, then that is the time we will be confiscating the rice," he said.

"The authority of the Bureau of Customs only extends on whether the imported rice stored into these warehouses are paid with the correct duties and taxes so I cannot make the conclusion,"

The customs commissioner said they were able to get the information and validated it through their intelligence group.

He said he would file cases against personnel from his agency found involved in rice smuggling.

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