CEBU CITY – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) said it is investigating an attempt to smuggle P10 million worth of white onions from China after two consignees allegedly abandoned 10 container vans declared as a cargo of “kimchi.”
BOC Collector Ciriaco Ugay said he instructed the Legal Division
to conduct a thorough investigation behind the attempt to smuggle the white
onions. “It is clear under the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) that
even if they have expressly abandoned the shipment, they may still be held liable,”
Ugay told the Philippine News Agency.
Ugay, however, clarified that only nine containers actually
contained kimchi (traditional Korean fermented and salted vegetables, usually
cabbage) as front, as one container was loaded with egg noodles.
"Natuboan na ng mga dahon yung mga bumbay (The onion grew
leaves) and many are rotting already. They are not fit for human consumption
because they are rotting already and there is no phytosanitary
certificate," he said, adding that he already ordered the shipment destroyed.
The shipment arrived at the Cebu International Port on January 15
this year, but the consignees did not claim it, instead, they submitted a
letter to former BOC-Cebu Collector Elvira Cruz expressly abandoning the 10
containers, according to Ugay.
The identities of the consignees were not made public for a still
unknown reason. (John Rey Saavedra)
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