Customs looking into alleged rice smuggling at Harbour Centre

MANILA, Philippines—The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is investigating reports of alleged rice smuggling at the port being operated by businessman Reghis Romero’s Harbour Centre Port Holdings Inc. (HCPHI).

Customs Commissioner Alberto D. Lina was quoted in a statement issued on Monday as saying that he “will ask [BOC] people to go to Harbour Centre Port to look into” such reports.

Lina nonetheless admitted that it was the first time that he heard of such an allegation against the HCPHI.

But the Customs chief assured that “we’ll ensure everything is settled” over at the port.

Lina’s statement came after the nongovernment organization, National Coalition of Filipino Consumers (NCFC), last week filed a graft complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman against the National Food Authority (NFA) due to alleged illegal storage of rice imports.

HCPHI was included in the case, as the five-page complaint affidavit submitted by NCFC board member Jayson Luna claimed that “HCPTI’s warehouse is being used illegally to store imported rice without written authorization from the NFA.”

“The NFA, despite knowledge of this illegal storage of imported rice, has not acted on the illegal act,” Luna further claimed, adding that such was a
violation of Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Luna pointed out that an NFA statement on its website had noted that “HCPTI does not have NFA accreditation, but their facilities have been used for transshipment of imported rice, under the government-to-government rice-importation program.”

“HCPTI is serving as one of the transshipment hubs of the government’s rice importation program although its permit is being questioned,” he added.  SFM