Shiploads of sugar ‘smuggled in’ as Customs changes command

Shiploads of suspected smuggled sugar landed at the piers last week while Malacañang was replacing the Customs chief.

The cargo arrived in 260 containers at the Port of Batangas on Thursday, Feb. 9. Tumult erupted as the consignee trucked the initial arrivals to warehouses without Customs clearance. The Department of Agriculture had no import permit on record.

Four ships disgorged the 6,500 tons of questioned refined sugar from Thailand. Value: P650 million, at P100,000 per ton, Customs and DA sources said. Documents identified the consignee and two shippers.

The day before, President Marcos Jr. appointed Ilocos townmate Bienvenido Rubio as Customs Commissioner. Acting chief Yogi Ruiz turned over the command to Rubio on Feb. 10.

The 6,500 tons are not part of the 440,000 that Malacañang announced for staggered import as this year’s buffer stock. Chaired by Marcos Jr. as concurrent Secretary of Agriculture, the Sugar Regulatory Administration approved the 440,000 tons only on Monday, Feb. 13. “This is still for publication and [details] will be released by the Office of the President,” SRA board planters’ rep Pablo Luis Azcona said.

Sugar industry sources tipped off the press about the Batangas sneak-in. The shipments were not listed in the UP Law Center’s Office of the National Administrative Register.

Legitimate importers apply for permits upon ONAR publication. Included are the import executive order, dates of transmittal to the Center and publication in major dailies, and allocation issuances.

Sugar traders, producers, millers and farmers are asking DA for papers on the 6,500 tons.

DA Inspectorate and Enforcement Asst. Sec. James Layug has been leading Customs and coast guard teams against agricultural smuggling. On Jan. 14 they interdicted in Batangas 4,000 tons of contraband Thai sugar worth P400 million in 160 containers from vessel M/V Sunward.

Two weeks later at Subic port they seized 1,275 tons in 51 containers worth P127.5 million. Trafficked yellow onion from China was also confiscated.

Of last week’s Batangas incident, United Sugar Producers Federation president Manolet Lamata said: “DA must show legit import permits. It cannot simply claim that those are straggler arrivals from last year’s 200,000-ton import order. Without papers, those are smuggled.”

Lamata wanted to know if the warehouses to which the containers were brought are bonded with Customs: “If they are, then Customs can still check for legality.”

The Agricultural Smuggling Law deems as economic sabotage food contraband worth at least P1 million, and rice of P10 million. No bail, life sentence.

The House of Reps is investigating recent spikes of sugar, onion and garlic retail prices. Reps. Stella Quimbo and Rodante Marcoleta suspect hoarding in the midst of smuggling.

On resolution of Imee Marcos, the Senate is probing Customs’ non-prosecution of large-scale smugglers. DA Senior Undersec. Domingo Panganiban keeps absenting. Agriculture committee head Cynthia Villar wants him to produce import papers.

Legit food imports have sanitary/phytosanitary clearances from both the countries of origin and the DA Bureaus of Plant, Animal and Fisheries Industries. Lack of such clearances exposes Filipino consumers to unsafe foods and preservatives, and farms to pests and disease.

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