ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said it welcomes the investigation on the disappearance of some 20,000 sacks of smuggled rice in this city.
Lt. Commander Noriel Ramos, Zamboanga Coast Guard Station commander, on Wednesday said the probe would clear suspicions on the disappearance of the seized smuggled rice while in transit to their storage area.
The 20,000 sacks of rice were part of the cargo found aboard three wooden-hulled vessels when the Zamboanga Coast Guard Station along with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and Military Intelligence Group jointly conducted anti-illegal drugs operation on September 22 near the shore of Barangay Baliwasan, this city.
It was carried out on orders of Capt. Joseph Coyme, Southwestern Mindanao Coastguard District commander, following reports that illegal drugs shipment is set to arrive here together with rice.
Ramos said the joint operation yielded negative result since no illegal drugs were found aboard the three vessels, except for the thousand sacks of rice.
Ramos said they apprehended the three vessels for proper turn over to the BOC since the rice shipment is not covered with legal documents.
He said that a joint inventory on the smuggled rice shipment was conducted in the presence of a BOC representative.
“The disposition of apprehended smuggled rice is not within our jurisdiction so we have to officially turn it over to the Bureau of Customs for them to take responsibility in its disposition. After the proper turn-over, we have no more jurisdiction whatever happens to it in transit to their storage area,” Ramos maintained.
Ramos said he has in possession documents to show that the rice were officially turned over to the BOC before the cargo disappeared.
“We have documents to show and I am welcoming any investigation from the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) or other agencies tasked by the top officials to investigate this matter, my point is just to clear the name of my unit as we do not tolerate such kind of action in our noble command,” Ramos said. (Teofilo Garcia, Jr/PNA)
