Gov’t sues firm over P2.37-M illegal onion imports
The Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Tuesday that a complaint has been filed against a company that brought into the country last year P2.37 million worth of fresh yellow onions without a permit.
JRA and Pearl Enterprises, based on the complaint filed by the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) in the Manila City Prosecutor’s Office, imported 25 metric tons of fresh yellow onions from China that arrived at the Manila South Harbor in July 2024.
This was done even though the government did not authorize the importation of onions for most of the year, according to Henrick Exconde, area manager of the BPI National Plant Quarantine Division at the Port of Manila–South Harbor, who filed the complaint.
The BPI had suspended the issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPSICs) for fresh yellow onions from Jan. 1 to Aug. 19 last year as there was enough supply to meet local demand.
Import firms are required to obtain an SPSIC to ensure that agricultural commodities brought into the country are safe for human consumption and to prevent the spread of pests or animal diseases.
The complaint against JRA said that it failed to satisfactorily explain why it imported the onions without first securing an import clearance.
Respondents
Named as respondents in the BPI complaint were JRA president Jessica Pascual, along with directors Jacob Tuballa, Perlita Tuballa, Joezel Tuballa and Joward Tuballa.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the filing of cases against erring import firms was part of the DA’s efforts to protect local farmers and consumers from unfair trade practices and potential public health risks.
The BPI previously sued another firm, Chastity Consumer Goods Trading, for reportedly misdeclaring imported onions as processed food.
The complaint filed in the Olongapo City Prosecutor’s Office said the company was not a registered BPI importer while it also lacked the required clearance for the importation.
The case was based on the discovery of a shipment of yellow onions in two container vans that arrived at the Port of Subic last year. The imported goods were consigned to Chastity and had been declared as frozen fish egg balls.
Carmela Rivera, area manager of BPI-National Plant Quarantine Services Division at the Port of Subic, said authorities inspected the shipment based on information it could contain undeclared agricultural products.
