MANILA -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Customs, acting on a tip, foiled the smuggling of onions worth PHP34 million last Monday.
The smuggled onions could have affected the livelihood of thousands of onion farmers if it had flooded the market, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol, who joined the raiding team -- along with Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña -- said in a news release issued Wednesday.
Piñol said apples were used as cover for the smuggled onion because apples come into the country without tariff, while onions are taxed 35 percent. When X-rayed, apples and onions also have the same shape and size.
Some of the vans had apples in the front row to conceal the smuggled onions but the strong scent of the onion quickly gave away what was inside, he said.
Each container van had onions worth PHP2 million. With 17 vans seized, the total estimated value of the smuggled produce was PHP34 million.
Piñol said the seized onions will not be sold to local consumers and will be destroyed because some of them still had dirt and roots that could be carrying diseases that could pose danger to local farms.
He recalled that foiling the smuggling attempt was not easy, relating that when he and Lapeña went to the International Container Terminal Services compound, where the vans were parked, they were given the runaround by personnel there who gave many reasons to stop the opening of the vans.
"We were made to wait three hours under the sun before the first van was opened," Piñol said. "They also said there was no one around to witness the opening, that there was no driver to bring us to the vans."
However, the agriculture chief said he and Lapeña were ready for such delaying tactics.
"They did not know we have all the time to wait," he added.
Piñol said the importers did not give up easily, as a call was made to DA Undersecretary Ariel Cayanan offering a PHP2 million bribe for each van so the DA and the BOC would not open the vans.
"They first offered PHP20,000, and when it was rejected, they raised it to PHP200,000, and then to PHP2 million," Cayanan said.
The smugglers, he said, agreed to have the vans opened and would also give PHP2 million per van, "so long as Secretary Piñol and Commissioner Lapeña would not be around to witness the opening."
Asked why, Cayanan said this was because the presence of Piñol and Lapeña would attract media coverage.
Piñol said the huge bribes were offered not because they hoped to earn from the smuggled goods, but to prevent the DA from taking action against the importers.
He noted that while the department cannot file criminal charges against the smugglers, it could hurt them by revoking their import permits.
This will be done as soon as they identify the importers, Piñol said. (DA PR)
