Cebu Daily News / Visayas

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/visayas/view_article.php?article_id=173313

SRA seeks power to sue smugglers Cebu Daily News Posted date: November 20, 2008 ACOLOD CITY — Sen. Mar Roxas has vowed to file a bill that would strengthen the powers of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) so it could go after sugar smugglers. Roxas told the Inquirer on Tuesday he would be open to suggestions from the SRA on what type of legislation would be needed to strengthen its powers. Sugar Regulatory Administrator Rafael Coscolluela on Sunday said the search for more smuggled sugar has been ongoing after he received information that the three container vans seized last week were part of 30 that entered the country. The SRA's Sugar Monitoring and Anti-Smuggling Task Force intercepted 1,547 bags of Mitr Phol Refined Sugar from Thailand valued at P2.1 million delivered in three 20-foot container vans to WillChan Trading at No. 27 Mayon Street, Quezon City, Coscolluela said. However, Coscolluela said the SRA could not do anything beyond that, with the powers to make arrests and file charges against smugglers exclusive to the Bureau of Customs at present. But Roxas maintained that the SRA should have the power to make arrests and file charges against sugar smugglers. Negros Occidental Gov. Isidro Zayco on Monday joined sugar planters in their condemnation of the unabated sugar smuggling in the country. Zayco said he would ask the Negros Occidental provincial council to pass a resolution supporting such a position. /Inquirer