Farm groups contest rice tariff hike

MANILA, Philippines — Representatives of agricultural groups on Wednesday filed in the Office of the Ombudsman administrative charges against the three Tariff Commission (TC) officials and sought their dismissal for failing to conduct hearings and consultations with stakeholders on crafting a new rice tariff schedule, contrary to customs law.

READ: Gov’t slashes tariff on rice imports to help cut local prices

According to the complainants, TC Chair Marilou Mendoza and Commissioners Ernesto Albano and Marissa Paderon committed grave misconduct and gross abuse of authority when they allowed the further reduction of tariff rates for imported rice to 15 percent without any investigation or formal petition, a due process stipulated under the flexible clause of Republic Act No. 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

The complainants were Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura Inc. Chair Rosendo So, Federation of Free Farmers national manager Raul Montemayor, United Broiler Raisers’ Association Elias Inciong, and former Magsasaka party list Rep. Argel Cabatbat. —Kathleen de Villa