ZAMBOANGA CITY—Rep. Lilia Nuño of the Second District of Zamboanga on Saturday said a full-blown investigation should be conducted over the “disappearance” of some 42.2 tons of confiscated smuggled sugar while under custody of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in this city.
Nuño’s statement came a day after Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar discovered that only 326 of the 1,170 sacks of 50 kilos each, or 58.5 tons of confiscated smuggled sugar, were in the custody of the BOC-Zamboanga District Office.
The 58.5 tons of smuggled sugar with an estimated worth of P2.5 million were confiscated on Tuesday by combined police, military and Philippine Coast Guard personnel near a beach in Barangay Bolong, 32.60 kilometers east of this city.
Nuño said all those involved in the disappearance of the 42.2 tons of sugar must be held liable.
“What is happening to our city? After the rice smuggling, now it’s sugar. I’m calling for a full-blown investigation [into] this,” Nuño added.
Nuño said she would request the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food Security to include sugar smuggling in its investigation.
She disclosed the committee, chaired by Sen. Cynthia Villar, is set to come to this city this month to investigate the rice smuggling.
Image credits: Henry Empeño