SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – Subic Bay Metropolitan Administration (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma Eisma has already suspended certificate of registration and tax exemption (CRTE) awarded to Phil-Em Enterprise Inc located here after caught on a raid tampering expiry dates of food products in their warehouse.
“It saddens me to know that some unscrupulous people are taking advantage of others especially in this time of a pandemic .” Eisma said on a statement.
SBMA Chair, said that the consent to sub-lease warehouse at Global Industrial Park may also be withdrawn if warranted and eventually lose its certification of registration as a freeport enterprise
“We will not tolerate any activity that violates the law and besmirches the solid reputation of the Subic Bay Freeport as the leading economic center in the part of the country.”she added.
SBMA Intellegence Office (SBMA- IIO) with elements of the National Bureau of Investigation raided Phil-Em warehouse on Monday on the virtue of a search warrant issued by the Regional Trial Court in Olongapo City.
“We caught on act employees erasing the expiry dates on packs of Clover Chips and replacing it with new dates using some printing machines.” Said SBMA-IIO officer in charge Rodel del Rosario.
Authorities had also yielded four Citronex printers with conveyors, 150 reams of label stickers, 50 reams of various printed labels stickers and two cans of eraser fluid along with several boxes of food items like, Clover Chips, Ligo sardines, Nissin Cup Noodles, Century Tuna, Milo energy drink, Skyflakes crackers, Star margarine, Magnolia cheese, Royal and Fiesta pasta , Lily’s peanut butter and food seasoning.
“Phil-em owner Philip Velasco was also arrested along with his employees during the raid. They were brought to NBI office in Olongapo for further investigation”. Del Rosario added.
Co-owner of Velasco named Amanda Pathak was also in the search warrant and also will be charged with violation of RA 7394 or the consumer Act of the Philippines; RA 9711 of the food and drugs administration Act of 2009, and RA 10611 or the Food Safety Act of 2013.