Leaders of the sugar industry have called on the House of Representatives and the Senate to conduct a full-blown investigation into the alleged smuggling of sugar that was exposed by Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday. | carlapgomezINQ /PDI
The joint statement was issued a day after Hontiveros called on the Senate blue ribbon committee to investigate the suspicious entry of Thai sugar into the country through the Port of Batangas.
“Since these are not covered by SO 6, there is no other conclusion but to say that these sugar shipments are smuggled,” the senator said. “What other conclusion can be drawn other than that this is government-sponsored smuggling?”Documents presented by Hontiveros showed that All Asian Countertrade Inc. was the registered consignee of the shipment, contained in 260 units of 20-foot shipping containers aboard three vessels.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson of Negros Occidental, the biggest sugar-producing province in the country, supported the call for an investigation, saying sugar smuggling would hurt the domestic sugar industry that is already reeling from high fertilizer and fuel prices. The sugar leaders said they were deeply concerned and are calling for an open and transparent investigation that must be quickly undertaken to establish the facts.
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