Customs Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno, together with Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, led the inspection of 26 containers of abandoned fresh red onions from China with an estimated market value of ₱86.684 million, as part of the Bureau of Customs’ ongoing efforts to prevent irregular agricultural importations and protect local farmers, consumers, and legitimate traders.
The shipments were declared as fresh red onions and covered 72,215 bags with a manifested gross weight of 650,000 kilograms. Based on valuation, the shipments have an estimated market value of ₱86,684,000. The shipments also have total equivalent duties and taxes amounting to ₱9,648,339.33, of which ₱9,073,796.73 remained unpaid.
The action stemmed from the verification conducted by the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-Manila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP), in coordination with MICP under District Collector Atty. Geoffrey K. De Vera IV to the Bureau of Plant Industry of the Department of Agriculture pertaining to the subject shipments. The BPI-DA confirmed that permits had been issued for the subject shipment but due to the failure of the consignee to process and release the shipment, the integrity and quality of the goods may already deteriorate and not fit for human consumption. As such, BPI-DA recommends that the subject shipments should not be released to the local market. In addition, the release of the subject shipments will coincide with the peak harvest season of the local onion farmers which will greatly affect their livelihood.
Upon further verification, the shipments were found to have unclaimed and unpaid entries, prompting the issuance of the abandonment decree for failure to comply with paragraphs c and d, Section 1129 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).
“We will continue to act on all reports involving suspicious, unclaimed, or abandoned shipments, lalo na ang mga agricultural products na maaaring makaapekto sa ating mga magsasaka, konsyumer, at lehitimong negosyante. Mananatiling matatag ang BOC sa pagpapatupad ng batas nang may transparency at accountability,” Commissioner Nepomuceno said.
Under the leadership of Commissioner Nepomuceno, the BOC continues to intensify monitoring of agricultural importations and strengthen intelligence-driven enforcement operations under the Integrity, Accountability, and Modernization (IAM) Movement, in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to combat smuggling, protect local industries, and uphold transparency and accountability in government service.
