MANILA – A company which imported thousands of kilograms of rice in the past few years suddenly disappeared this year, raising doubts from a lawmaker.

During the Murang Pagkain Super Committee hearing on Wednesday, Sultan Kudarat 2nd District Horacio Suansing, Jr. said Manus Dei Resources Enterprises, Inc. is “now non-existent,” based on records from the Bureau of Customs (BOC). 

It also conducted the following rice imports: 

- 2022 - 156,111 metric tons (P164 million tax and duties) 

- 2023 - 179,019 metric tons (P1.36 billion tax and duties) 

“So parang nakakapaghinala. Napakalaki ng kompanya nito na nag-import noong 2022 at 2023 ng malalaking shipments tapos noong 2024 biglang nawala,” said Suansing, Jr.

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BOC Assistant Commissioner Vincent Philip Maronilla confirmed they had records of the firm in previous years but its accreditation “expired” on Nov. 17, 2023. 

“They never renewed their accreditation. That explains why they never had importation in 2024,” said Maronilla. 

“I confirm the data that they had several importation in 2022. Also, your data on the duties and taxes paid as well as several importation also in 2023 but with the same amount of duties and taxes paid P1.36 billion,” he added. 

The firm has an address in San Miguel, Manila and has a paid up capital of P1 million, said the assistant commissioner. 

This did not sit well with Suansing, Jr., who said it was unlikely that they only had a paid up capital of P1 million when the firm had duties and taxes worth several millions of pesos. 

The lawmaker instead asked the BOC to provide the firm’s Customs Accreditation Profile and financial statement.

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