P725M of smuggled rice intercepted; consignees, Davao trader under investigation

Some 48 million kilos of rice worth about P725M are in 1,937 container vans intercepted at various ports nationwide, top officials of the Bureau of Customs said Monday.

 

As this developed, the Federation of Philippine Industries said a Davao City-based trader is suspected of involvement in large scale rice smuggling.

 

“As of now 1,937 containers of rice are on hold without import permit and 411 abandoned containers of rice,” Bureau of Customs deputy Commissioner Jessie Dellosa said in a news briefing Monday.

The container vans were seized at the ports from October to December last.
 

Customs Commissioner John Phillip Sevilla said they are “aggressively stopping the entry of rice without permits into the country.” 

 

Sevilla said the Customs' current probe on rice smuggling “involves at least 20 – 25 consignees.” He did not reveal names.

 

However, in a separate briefing, the chairman of the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI), Jesus Arranza, said on Tuesday that a certain trader known as David Tan is being tracked down.

 

Arranza said David tan is the alias of a Filipino-Chinese trader who used to smuggle scrap metal, but has moved on to rice smuggling.

 

The FPI president said in a report aired on “24 Oras” that based on tips he gathered from several sources, David Tan is just the alias used by trader David Bangayan, who is based in Davao City.

 

Arranza said Bangayan was involved in a civil case arising from smuggling scrap metals in 2005, but the case was dismissed by a Laguna court. 

 

He said that records of Calamba Regional Trial Court show that Bangayan was also identified as “Davidson Bangayan a.k.a. David Tan.” Bangayan’s name once again surfaced  in connection with rice smuggling in 2011, Arranza said.

 

“Nakita ko lang ulit sa news noong 2011 na may innimbestigahang kaso ng rice smuggling na involved ang isang Davidson Bangayan,” he said.

 

The Department of Justice said last December that it is set to reopen its probe on rice smuggling involving a certain David Tan and Danny Ngo.

 

Customs Commissioner Sevilla said they are  "not getting fixated" on David Tan but are after each  consignee named in the documents of the container vans of smuggled rice.

 

“It has a consignee who is legally accountable to the Bureau of Customs,” he said. “So even if hindi namin alam kung meron talagang David Tan at kung sino siya, hahabulin pa rin namin yung consignee, because we know know who the consignees are and if they are bringing in rice without import permits.”

 

Meanwhile, in a report aired on GMA News mid-morning newscast “News To Go” on Tuesday, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte warned suspected rice smugglers he will personally arrest them should authorities obtain proof they are not paying the right taxes.

"I will personally arrest you. In my capacity as the mayor of Davao, charged under the law and the enforcement of all national laws, ordinances, and executive orders of this government," Duterte warned.

 

He said he has received information that some rice dealers in the city are allegedly involved in smuggling rice.  — Xianne Arcangel/ELR, GMA News