5,000 sacks of seized rice could go to Marawi relief
THE 5,000 sacks of rice seized on Nov. 18 from an unlicensed boat off the waters of Malita, Davao Occidental could go to the continuing relief work for displaced residents of Marawi City, according to a Bureau of Customs (BoC) official. BoC-Davao District Collector Erastus Sandino B. Austria said the smuggled rice, approximately 250 metric tons with an estimated value of P4.6 million, could be sold by the government and the fund will go to the treasury “or it can be donated for the rehab efforts in Marawi. It depends on the discretion of the BoC commissioner.” The goods will be temporarily turned over to the National Food Authority (NFA) for inventory. The vessel that carried the goods, along with the 12 crew members, are currently under the custody of the Naval ForcesEastern Mindanao Command. Mr. Austria said the crew claimed to be domestically transporting the rice from Sulu, but did not have a permit from NFA. The boat’s “booklet” was marked from Malaysia. Mr. Austria said the smuggling of rice through backdoors along the long coastline of Mindanao has been a long-standing problem. “We’re just very glad that finally we have verified the intelligence since this has been circulating… and we have been deploying our personnel and assets repeatedly… finally they are apprehended now,” he said. Mr. Austria said continuous monitoring will be undertaken by the Philippine Navy, Customs Police, and the Police Maritime Group. —