Davao City – The Bureau of Customs-Port of Davao has destroyed P400,000 worth of misdeclared bags of onions on Thursday, June 22 in Tagum City, Davao del Norte.
Bags of yellow and red onions were crushed and disposed of at the facility of Malfer Enterprises – the accredited service provider for the render and disposal of perishable and non-perishable condemned cargoes.
The onions were part of a shipment from China that was confiscated in August 2016 after BOC-Davao found 885 bags of yellow onion and 5,313 bags of red onion were misdeclared by Equicent Import and Export Corporation.
The misdeclaration is a violation of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines, as amended, and Department of Agriculture’s Administrative Order No. 9 Series of 2010 (Rules and Regulations on the Importation of Agricultural and Fish and Fishery/Aquatic Products, Fertilizers, Pesticides and Other Agricultural Chemicals, Veterinary, Drugs, Biological Products into the Philippines).
Lawyer Erastus Austria, the district collector, said Equicent wrote a letter to OIC District Collector Jamail A. Marohomsalic about its intent to abandon the shipment.
“The condemnation was consummated without any expense on the part of the Bureau,” Austria said.
The disposal of the seized goods was led by the current District Collector Atty. Erastus Sandino B. Austria; Deputy Collector, Atty. Dante A. Maranan; Auction and Cargo Disposal Committee Head, Ms. Rechilda T. Oquias.
They were joined by representatives from the Commission on Audit, Department of Agriculture Bureau of Plant Industries—National Plant Quarantine Services Division, and Malfer Enterprises.
Since Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon assumed office in July 2016, BOC strengthened its drive against the illegal entry of agricultural products in the country.
“Despite the need to facilitate trade and to increase revenue collection, it is also our mission to protect the interest and welfare of Filipino traders especially the farmers,” Faeldon said.
“If we will let these unscrupulous traders and their own ‘bata’ (counterparts) in the bureau untouched, our own market will not be able to compete fairly,” he stressed.
Faeldon has ordered all ports to remain vigilant and stop all forms of economic sabotage and corruption.### | BOC
