Sugar warehouse in Las Pinas raided

July 9, 2011, 12:39pm

MANILA, Philippines — Stepping up its campaign against syndicates engaged in economic crimes, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) under Director Samuel Pagdilao staged simultaneous raids in Metro Manila that resulted to the confiscation of a 40-foot container van.

Pagdilao said CIDG agents raided a warehouse in Las Piñas City where suspected hijacked sacks of sugar were being repacked, and intercepted the van in Valenzuela City.

Pagdilao said the CIDG’s Task Force Maverick seized assorted brands of sugar and empty sacks of imported sugar and sacks threads from the warehouse in Rosal St., Dona Manuela 1 Subdivision, Las Pinas and Crispina Avenue in Las Pinas Village.

In his report to Pagdilao, Maverick chief, Senior Supt. Rhodel O. Sermonia said the raid in Las Pinas was launched on June 29 by virtue of two search warrants issued by Judge Amor A. Reyes of the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) against the owner of the establishments for violation of Article 85 Of RA 7394 or the Consumers Act of the Philippines.

Sermonia said that the following morning, while members of the raiding team were doing an inventory of the seized items, the lawyers of the owner of the establishment arrived and questioned the warrant.

Sermonia said 640 sacks of seized sugars were brought to the Jett Fire Trading Inc. in Iba, Meycauyan, Bulacan, for proper disposition.

Saturday, a CIDG team was dispatched to Karuhatan, MacArthur Highway to respond to a report about a hijacked van.

Maverick operatives intercepted the van with license plate RGH-483 and with markings Gold Pillars Enterprises at Valenzuela City. The driver, Noli L. Naval, 40, of Quarry Site, Area D, General Mariano Alavarez, Cavite, and his companion, Roland G Marbel, 36, of Barangay Pingki-an, Sauyo, Novaliches, could only produce a gate pass from the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT).

Sermonia added the van had no custom guard escort and instead, was being escorted PO3 Rowel Velo assigned at the Quezon City Police District (QCPD). Finding no sufficient documents, the operatives brought the van to Camp Crame, Quezon City, for further verification and proper documentation.

Two hours later, a certain Tina Pacheco, who said she owned the van, and Customs guard Francisco Cleofe arrived at the CIDG office and presented photocopied documents. Pacheco claimed that the cargo of plastic resin was consigned to Xurich Corporation and was about to be brought to its bonded warehouse at Trinidad St., Victoria Village, Canumay, Valenzuela.

However, the entry sheet form indicated that cargo was released from the MICT and its supposed destination was Port of Manila.

Sermonia suspects the cargo had been illegally diverted or smuggled into the country.

He said the CIDG is considering an investigation of policeman Velo, Mrs. Pacheco and Customs Guard Cleofe for possible violation of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines (TCCP).