NFA securing papers for Vietnam rice

LEGAZPI CITY—The National Food Authority (NFA) in Albay is now scrambling to secure all the needed documents that will authenticate the shipment of the P112-million Vietnamese rice impounded at the Legazpi port by the Bureau of Customs in Bicol.

Legazpi customs collector lawyer Leovigildo Dayoza yesterday said he was compelled to issue a warrant of seizure and detention (WSD) on Tuesday for the 94,000 bags of Vietnam rice after the NFA failed to meet the deadline last Monday to submit the required documents.

Dayoza said customs police have secured the imported rice cargo loaded in the Vietnamese vessel MV Minh Tuan 68, which arrived last Sept. 2. The ship was not allowed to dock and is now anchored about a kilometer away from the port.

Dayoza said a copy of the WSD order was given to NFA Albay and also to the Minh Truong G.S.C., the shipping agent.

Nelsy Alcantara, NFA Bicol spokesperson, said her office received the WSD order Thursday and immediately transmitted it to the NFA central office.

Yoly Navarro, NFA Albay manager, said the NFA central office sent documents signed by NFA head Lito Banayo.

The four farmers’ cooperatives that are among the consignees of the Vietnam rice are legitimate groups, the head of the NFA in Bulacan said on Wednesday. Mar Arguelles, Inquirer Southern Luzon and Carmela Reyes-Estrope, Inquirer Central Luzon