Senate detains rice importer for lying

By Macon Ramos-Araneta | Posted on September 06, 2012 |

 

A rice importer was detained in the Senate on Wednesday for lying to the senators investigating the case of the 42,000 sacks of rice worth P500 million that Customs agents seized on suspicion of having been smuggled through the Subic Bay Freeport Zone on April 4.

Detained over rice. Senate security chief Jose Balajadia (left) escorts Cesar Ramirez, who was cited for contempt on Wednesday, and ordered detained in the Senate. Inset is a photo of Saumit Ghosh, who was linked to the smuggling of rice through the Subic Bay Freeport.

 

Cesar Ramirez, a member of the Federation of San Miguel Cooperatives based in General Santos City, was barred from leaving the Senate building after attending the hearing being led by Senator Francis Pangilinan, chairman of the Senate’s agriculture committee.

He was whisked out of the session hall and escorted to the detention facility at the Senate’s parking area in the basement.

Another suspect in the case, Protek Guha, manager of Amira Foods, the company that owns the rice shipment, did not attend Wednesday’s hearing because, his lawyer said, he was in New Delhi.

Demetrio Custodio said Guha did not travel to the Philippines to attend the hearing on the advice of his doctor as a result of his high blood pressure.

Senators said another rice dealer, Magdangal Diego Bayani III of St. Andre1ws Field Grains and Cereal Trading, might also be detained if he continued to refuse to name the financiers of his business. He was given 5 days to explain why he should not be cited in contempt.

Senators including Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said they were not convinced that Ramirez was telling the truth about the rice shipment seized in Subic. They held a caucus to decide how long Ramirez would stay under the Senate’s custody. (END)