Over 20,000 bags of rice seized by the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Council in July 2025 are released back to the distributor after the court declared the items to be legitimate. 

The Court of Tax Appeals released the decision on October 7, 2025. The owner of the imported rice, River Valley Distribution Inc., received a copy of the decision on October 14, 2025.

After an inventory, it was found out that a few sacks of rice have been spoiled. River Valley Distribution, Inc.  has sought the immediate release of the items to prevent further spoilage of the other bags of rice.

River Valley and its sister company, Mixed Load Distribution Network Inc., have been allowed to get the 20,526 sacks of rice beginning October 21, 2025. The release is based on the dismissal of the Court of Tax Appeals of the case in October 7, 2025, the lifting of the seizure order, and the return of the rice supply to the owner.

According to the rice importer's lead counsel, Atty. Jhonelle Estrada Tan-Kit, documents showed that the client paid appropriate taxes.

Earlier, the sacks of rice from Vietnam and Pakistan were deemed smuggled for alleged failure to present pertinent documents during an inspection of the distributor’s warehouse in Barangay San Roque, Talisay City, Cebu on June 20, 2025.

On July 9, 2025, the bags of rice were seized and placed at the NFA Warehouse near the port in Cebu City.

The company sought to get back the rice after learning that 150 bags were spoiled, several bags torn, while mold growth is apparent on rice in a few bags.

At past 1 p.m. on October 21, 2025, the releasing of rice began with the presence of personnel from the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Cebu Provincial Field Unit, and Darlito Licardo, senior agriculturist of the Department of Agriculture.

Further, it was learned from the legal counsel that it may take River Valley Distributor, Inc.  about five days, or an entire week, to recover all the sacks of rice.