12 onion traders face raps over imports

cbuban

1 year ago

THEY’RE HERE Truck helpers unload imported onions so these can be stored in a warehouse in Divisoria, Manila, on Monday. It was not clear if this shipment, labeled as “product of China,” is part of the government’s first batch of onion imports that arrived in the country. —GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

An officer of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service inspects the smuggled onions seized at a cold storage facility in Navotas City last August 15. According to the BOC, the estimated cost of all the smuggled agricultural products seized is around P36 million. (Photo from the Bureau of Customs)

Photo from the Bureau of Customs

MANILA, Philippines — The government is filing charges against 12 onion importers and traders for engaging in alleged anticompetitive practices through the manipulation of the issuance of import clearances, the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) said on Sunday.

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According to the PCC, the respondents assigned among themselves sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPSIC) issued by the Bureau of Plant Industry and distributed the volume of onion allowed for importation.

“By agreeing to allocate SPSICs and divide among themselves the actual volume of imports, respondents effectively controlled more than 50 percent of the volume of onions imported into the Philippines during the relevant period,” it said.

If found liable, the respondents may face imprisonment of two to seven years, and a fine of up to P250 million. —Melvin Gascon