July 11, 2015
Manila Standard Today (Vito Barcelo and Gabrielle Marie Consuelo H. Binaday) | http://goo.gl/OHtiJp
The Bureau of Customs has filed smuggling charges against a Cagayan de Oro firm and its importer for illegally importing from China 260,000 kilos of sugar worth more than P13 million.
Charged were Argic Dinawanao, owner of AMD Royale Enterprises, and Steve Semblante, customs broker.
Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina said the shipment was intercepted at the Cagayan de Oro port May 24.
The shipment was declared as “kitchenware, furniture, stoneware, tableware and ceramic ware” and entered the Philippines in 10 40-foot containers, Customs Deputy Commissioner Arturo Lachica said.
“AMD Royale’s importation of refined sugar without import permit constitute violations of the Sugar Regulatory Administration’s rules that all importer of sugar must have SRA clearance prior to the release of the importation by the Bureau of Customs. Failure to secure an import permit from SRA makes the sugar importation unlawful,” said Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina.
Lachica said the seized sugar would first be checked if safe before being auctioned off.
Aside from the violation of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines, the BOC also filed charges for not rightfully declaring the vans of imported sugar.