Panayam kay BOC Spox. Atty. Maronilla
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00:00 Let's update on the newly imported rice from the Bureau of Customs.
00:07 We will talk to Attorney Vincent Philip Maronilla, Assistant Commissioner and Spokesperson of the DOC.
00:15 Good afternoon, Attorney Maronilla.
00:18 Sir, this newly imported rice and other goods from Manila,
00:28 please give us more details about this, sir.
00:32 Well, of course, our raids are continuous.
00:39 We just visit different warehouses where we have intelligence information that rice is being imported.
00:48 Like this, we visited Las Piñas and Cavite.
00:54 We checked this and we found rice here that is packed, 25 kilos.
01:01 We were also able to find out that they were selling at a very high price.
01:07 We referred this particular issue to the Department of Trade and Industry and Department of Agriculture
01:18 while we were giving them 15 days to produce their import permits and documentations
01:26 to prove that this rice is legally imported to our country.
01:31 In the area of Zamboanga, the Bureau of Customs seized 42 million worth of rice.
01:42 This is about 42,180 sacks.
01:45 According to our investigation, this rice was imported without a legal permit and documentation to our country.
01:55 That is why the Bureau of Customs, Port of Zamboanga issued a warrant of seizure and detention.
02:01 Attorney Maronilla, as of now, how much is the value of the rice that we confiscated and imported here in the warehouses that we inspected?
02:14 Confiscated sir, right now, this is just 42 million and we have previously seized it.
02:21 It runs to about less than 100 million pesos.
02:24 But the bigger one that we inspected in the previous weeks in Bandang Bulacan area and other provinces,
02:35 this is in the process of verification by our intelligence group.
02:41 We have recommendations to some stocks that our intelligence group will approve by our Commissioner of Customs.
02:47 We will not be the first to approve it because there is an investigation report...
02:52 ...we are not thanking our Chinecs who were able to present their documents.
03:00 And those who were able to present their documents, we are not thanking them so that the stock and delivery will not be disturbed.
03:09 There are also those who were inspected, reported by our intelligence group, who were not able to present their documents.
03:25 That's why this will be the subject of a session upon approval by the Commissioner of Customs in the report of our intelligence group.
03:35 So where are the confiscated rice bags? What will be done with these?
03:46 The rice bags are still in our possession, in the warehouse where we caught it.
03:53 It is under the custody of the Bureau of Customs.
03:55 We are now consulting with the Office of the President and other government agencies on the manner and disposition of this.
04:05 Will we be donating this to our stores so that it can be sold at a lower price?
04:14 Or will we be donating this to DSWD so that it can be distributed?
04:18 This is also the same with you, Usec Punay. You said that you have already given it to the poor.
04:26 Yes, this is the rice bag that we started giving to the President of the Philippines, Bongbong Marcos, in Zamboanga.
04:31 Attorney, there are many questions. Have importers already been charged with confiscating rice?
04:38 Before, we have already filed cases in the Department of Justice.
04:47 In fact, even in other products, not just agricultural products, we have been filing cases continuously.
04:57 Right now, the total value of smuggled items that we apprehended and the cases that are being faced by importers is already P32 billion.
05:11 This is a record high for the Bureau of Customs.
05:13 The year is not yet over and the worth of smuggled goods that we apprehended is already P32 billion this year.
05:21 There are still a lot of cases that we have filed against the people responsible for smuggling these items.
05:29 Attorney, aside from filing cases and chasing smugglers,
05:35 what other efforts are the Bureau of Customs making to stop smuggling of agricultural products, particularly rice?
05:46 We are coordinating very closely with our partner countries where the supply of agricultural products like rice comes from.
05:57 We are coordinating with Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar.
06:03 The rice comes from there and India.
06:05 To find out the supply that comes to us, who are the issuers of permits from our Department of Agriculture,
06:13 the suppliers who can import rice, so that before they come here, we have information and we can take action preventively to avoid smuggling.
06:25 We are also strengthening our valuation system so that the rice that is being paid by importers of agricultural products is correct.
06:36 They will not classify it to other classes so that they can cheat on their rice payment.
06:43 Sir, please give a message to our fellow countrymen about what the Bureau of Customs is doing.
06:54 First, we are asking for a little bit of compensation for those who we need to visit, those who own warehouses and stocks.
07:01 This is just to make sure that the government, whatever is being imbacked in your warehouses,
07:09 there is a reasonable compliance with our customs rules.
07:12 And to avoid abuse that can lead to the situation of rice in our country now.
07:22 Second, we are also talking to those who have plans to do any illegal act related to any product that is being imported.
07:33 Do not hesitate because the program of the Bureau of Customs is solid and we will not stop until we catch you and put you in jail.
07:43 Alright. Thank you very much for your time and information.
07:47 I'm Sean, attorney Vincent Philip Maronilla from the Bureau of Customs.