The Philippines Bureau of Customs chief said he hates smugglers and hinted that onions in the Philippines have become expensive because there are “not too many smuggled onions.”
“I hate smugglers; that’s one thing for sure. Give me names and evidence, and I assure you I will be blazingly knocking on their doors the next hour to arrest them,” said Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz in his recent newspaper column at the Daily Tribune.
His comment came after the Bureau of Customs – Ninoy Aquino International Airport authorities confiscated illegally imported agricultural products found inside the luggage of 10 flight attendants from Dubai and Riyadh on January 10, 2023.
The BOC conducted physical examinations of their baggage, following an X-Ray screening, which revealed various agricultural products, such as onions and fruits, without the necessary Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance (SPSIC) from the BPI.
Under the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, the importation of plant products considered “Regulated Importations,” require prior clearance or permit from the concerned regulatory government agency.
Further investigation is underway against the flight crew for alleged illegal importation, which violates the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, Presidential Decree 1433, and the Plant Quarantine Law.
“Upon knowledge of their violation, the flight attendants also exhibited unruly behavior by stomping/stepping on the imported agriculture products,” according to BOC, highlighting that the airline management informed BOC of their cooperation on this matter and assured they would not condone any violations of their crew, and will investigate and impose necessary sanctions.
Smuggling of onions?
“Some sectors blame the Bureau of Customs for what they claimed was the unabated smuggling of onions which have become so expensive. Should it not be the opposite that onions have become so expensive because there are not too many smuggled onions to flood the market to make the price cheaper in the first place?” Ruiz said.
He also challenged the country’s policy on importation calling for more importation.
“Should the government allow more importations to bring down the prices of onions and go after hoarders without hurting our local farmers?” Ruiz added.
