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Warning to hoarders about “visit” to Pampanga sugar warehouse: OES

On Thursday, Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez issued a warning, saying the government would keep going after dishonest traders who raised the cost of food products, especially sugar, as consumers continued to bear the weight of rising commodity prices.

In response to consumer concerns over excessive sugar prices in San Fernando City, Pampanga, Rodriguez made this statement after his office directed the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to exercise visitorial jurisdiction to a warehouse suspected of stockpiling thousands of sacks of sugar.

In order to determine whether there was sugar hoarding, he was acting in accordance with President Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr.’s order that the BOC utilize its visitorial powers toward all warehouses that are bonded by Customs.

According to a news statement from Rodriguez, “the BoC’s Pampanga sugar warehouse raid may very well serve as a message to dishonest traders who are now hoarding their inventories of sugar in order to profit from the current manufactured sugar scarcity crisis.”

The Lison Building, which houses the New Public Market in Barangay Del Pilar, San Fernando City, was searched by members of the Quick Reaction Team of the Enforcement and Security Service (ESS) and Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS), all of which have offices in Clark.

Local Philippine National Police officers and barangay authorities helped the BOC agents.

Customs officers swiftly confiscated thousands of neatly stacked bags of imported sugar from Thailand that was believed to have been hoarded.

Additionally, hundreds of sugar bags that were put into delivery trailers were seized.

A mission order and a letter of authorization were delivered by BOC agents to Jimmy Ng, a Chinese-Filipino warehouse manager.

They also discovered a number of foreign goods, including bags of Chinese corn starch, sacks of imported flour, plastic goods, oil in plastic barrels, various brand names of motorcycle parts and wheels, helmets, LED television sets, and paints.

The warehouse owners were given 15 days to provide the appropriate documentation to show that the goods were lawfully brought into the nation while the CIIS conducted an inventory of the aforementioned merchandise.

If it is established that the sugar from Thailand was smuggled, the warehouse owners may be charged with smuggling in accordance with the terms of the Customs Modernization Act (CMTA).

Cruz-Angeles stated that the BOC also inspected another warehouse in Bulacan at a press conference at the palace.

“Yes, we can attest to the existence of a second warehouse close to Bulacan. We can confirm that there was one yesterday and that there may be more today and in the days to come,” she said.

Rodriguez previously revealed to Manila Times columnist Rigoberto Tiglao that his office is looking into claims that some dealers are “aggressively” lobbying for the importation of 300,000 metric tons of sugar in order to use it as a “cover” for sugar they have been hoarding.

Rodriguez cited information that had reached his office when he said that the big importation of sugar may bring in unexpected profits for the traders of at least PHP300 million, with a portion of the sum set aside for lobbying.

According to R.A. 11469, also known as the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, crimes like hoarding, profiteering, cartel activity, and price manipulation are punished during a national emergency.

The 1992 Price Act, also known as Republic Act No. 7581, protects consumers by regulating the pricing of essential goods and premium commodities as well as by establishing safeguards against unjustified price hikes during emergencies and comparable circumstances.

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