Ilang warehouse ng bigas sa Balagtas, Bulacan, ininspeksyon ng ilang mga mambabatas at ng BOC;
Libo-libong sako ng bigas na nakatambak lang, tumambad
Libo-libong sako ng bigas na nakatambak lang, tumambad
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NewsTranscript
00:00 In the middle, we talked about whether the rice supply in the country is enough.
00:04 We also talked to the Bureau of Customs and some law enforcement officers
00:07 about the rice supplies in some warehouses that were inspected in Bulacan.
00:14 The so-called strike was also followed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s order
00:19 to strengthen the fight against rice hoarding and rice smuggling
00:24 which are the reasons for the rise in the price of rice.
00:27 The center of the news from Mel Alesmora's Live.
00:32 Audrey Angelique Hino, a smuggler who is a hoarder.
00:37 That is the information that was received from the authorities
00:40 about the rice supply in Balagtas, Bulacan.
00:43 So to be sure or to know if that is true,
00:47 they immediately conducted an operation.
00:49 This is the Bureau of Customs together with the House of Representatives.
00:55 Before 9 a.m. this morning, the surprise inspection of the BOC
00:58 was conducted in Bulacan in the early morning.
01:03 The first one was commissioner Bienvenido Rubio.
01:05 The camera was filmed by the House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
01:10 They inspected four rice warehouses
01:14 where thousands of bags of rice were smuggled
01:19 and this can be considered as hoarding.
01:21 Since many of these are imported, the BOC said,
01:25 they will also know if these are smuggled or went through the right process.
01:29 Next, the rice warehouses were temporarily closed by the authorities
01:34 while they were verifying if their operation has sufficient documents
01:38 and if they have any violations.
01:40 According to House Speaker Martin Romualdez,
01:42 the public can expect that they will continue to guard
01:46 against the so-called hoarders and smugglers of rice.
01:50 This is also in accordance with President Ferdinand R. Marquez Jr.'s order
01:54 that a new directive has been issued
01:56 to strengthen the enforcement of sufficient supply
02:00 and the correct price of rice in the market.
02:02 This is what we will do, especially to the importers.
02:06 If your documents are not complete,
02:10 if the payment of the rice is not correct,
02:12 there is a process.
02:13 After two weeks,
02:16 the authorities will take a decision and the executives will decide
02:20 if they will distribute the rice to the DSWD, DA, or Cadiwa stores
02:24 to lower the price of rice and to ensure sufficient supply.
02:30 They are given 15 days to present the proof of payment or documents
02:34 that say their duties and taxes are paid.
02:37 It will be a stern warning to all our other traders, rice mills,
02:42 that if they continue to hide imported rice that they do not move,
02:47 and if the Bureau of Customs proves that this is a smuggle
02:51 or they have technical smuggling
02:53 in the importation of imported rice,
02:57 you will be punished.
02:59 Angelique Audrey, before we left Balagtas, Bulacan,
03:04 we also interviewed some of the managers and caretakers
03:08 of the inspected warehouses.
03:10 They are both denying that they are doing something illegal.
03:15 Others say that they have regular rice supply.
03:21 They are still in the middle of a lot of smuggling.
03:24 Angelique Audrey, in the view of the DOC and the camera,
03:28 they are saying that the hack banks like this
03:31 are just there to ensure that there is a correct process and correct documents
03:35 in the warehouses of rice
03:37 so that there is a sufficient supply and a reasonable price of rice in the market.
03:42 Angelique Audrey?
03:43 Yes, Mela. Since this is not the first inspection of the DOC and the camera,
03:48 what were the outcomes of their first inspection
03:53 and what were the results of their second operation?
03:57 Angelique, the Speaker of the House of Waldes said that
04:03 after their first inspection, there was a strong warning
04:08 to rice traders and rice sellers
04:13 so that there would not be hoarding and smuggling.
04:18 So, at first, they saw, Angelique,
04:21 our officials saw that the people of the country saw
04:24 that the hack banks of the authorities are really strict
04:27 in the proper supply and price of rice.
04:30 And Angelique, their changes are in accordance with President Marcos' orders.
04:35 Overall, Angelique, the authorities only want one thing,
04:38 and that is to have a stable supply of rice.
04:42 Our authorities are really insisting, from the POC and the camera,
04:47 that they will continue these hack banks
04:50 so that they will not only be afraid, but will follow the law and the correct procedures
04:55 of our rice traders so that the price of rice will not be affected.
04:59 Angelique?
05:00 Okay. In the camera's view, is it planned to investigate
05:05 the hoarding and smuggling of rice?
05:08 Angelique, earlier, the House Committee on Agriculture Chair Mark Enverga was also with us
05:16 and we also asked him.
05:18 He said that they will continue to focus on the issue of rice.
05:22 Just a few moments ago, Angelique, there was a briefing here in the camera
05:26 with the Department of Agriculture on the issues of rice in the country.
05:31 They also shared the issue of hoarding and smuggling in the country.
05:38 That's why Congressman Enverga said that they will continue to focus on that
05:43 and they may have an actual, moto-proper inquiry on the issue of rice hoarding.
05:49 So Angelique, that's what we will wait for, when that will happen
05:53 and what will be the agenda for the hearing on this issue.
05:58 All right. Thank you very much Mel Alesmoraz.