MANILAgolden plus, Philippines — After discovering P661 million worth of rice suspected to be smuggled, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and Department of Agriculture (DA) reportedly allowed the owners of the raided warehouses in Bulacan to continue operations “under strict oversight.”

According to the BOC, the operators of nine warehouses that were raided on Dec. 16 in Bocaue and Balagtas towns in Bulacan are allowed to operate to ensure a stable rice supply, “provided that they explain their importation soon.”

The rice was suspected to have been smuggled into the country after the warehouse operators and owners failed to present proof of payment of duties and taxes to the government.

The raid was conducted by the BOC and DA along with officials from the local government units, Philippine Coast Guard and police.

BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and several members of the House of Representatives were also present. 

According to the BOC, the raiding teams found 249,500 sacks of suspected smuggled rice stored inside the warehouses.

Lawmakers claimed that Chinese nationals acquired Filipino birth certificates from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) or local civil registrars to illegally obtain land and set up businesses in the Philippines.

The Sama Sama exercise, aimed at enhanced military cooperation, took place in the waters off northern Luzon, close to the maritime area facing Taiwan.

After a dialogue with the warehouse owners, the BOC and DA allowed them to continue operations “under strict oversight.”

“This measure ensures that rice supplies remain uninterrupted and accessible to all Filipinos, particularly during the holiday seasongolden plus,” the BOC in a statement as it awaits the submission of documents showing the payment of taxes and other fees.