A progressive party-list lawmaker has asked the House committee on agriculture and food to conduct a full-blown congressional investigation into the massive rice importation irregularities and other anomalies in the trade which purportedly defrauds the government through the Bureau of Customs (BOC) of P1 billion in revenues by lowering the price of rice importation.

Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano reiterated his call to investigate the controversy through his House Resolution (HR) No. 183 that he filed following the continued complaints of huge amount in lost revenues because of the supposed irregularities besetting rice importation which is also jeopardizing the livelihood of millions of local rice farmers.

“The opening up of rice importation to the private sector further increase the volume of rice imports coupled by illegal practices like evading payment of tariffs and recycling of import permits,” said Mariano.

“The massive importation, ill-timing of rice imports, anomalous rice procurement wasting government’s resources, illegal trade practices and other irregularities in the rice industry, as well as widespread conversions of lands to other uses, hamper the potentials for sustainability in the rice industry and further threatened the nation’s food security,” Mariano added.

House Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez said his group will include on its proposed congressional performance audit of various government departments the inquiry on alleged irregularity of rice importation.

Earlier, House Deputy Minority Leader and Zambales Rep. Ma. Milagros “Mitos” Magsaysay disclosed that some 186,000 metric tons (MT) or 3,600,000 sacks of rice that have been imported from different countries like Pakistan and Vietnam recently were allegedly undervalued.

Magsaysay said the private sector has been importing “broken rice” which they declare its purchase to US $110 per MT while the world market values it to $380 per MT.

But when the National Food Authority (NFA) is the one doing the purchase of broken rice in the United States (US), she said the price is $465 per MT.

“Lugi tayo dahil imbes na $380 ang papatawan ng 40% na custom duties, sa $110 na lang maniningil ang BOC ng customs duties. Ang laki ng mawawala sa government,” Magsaysay stressed.

According to Magsaysay’s estimate, she said between $20 million to $23 million worth of customs duties have been purportedly lost to 180,000 MT or 3,600,000 sacks of rice that the private sector had imported in the past.