The Department of Agriculture (DA) has haled Chastity Consumer Goods Trading before the Olongapo City Prosecutor’s Office for misdeclaring imported onions as processed food, in violation of the Food Safety Act and the Plant Quarantine Law of 1978.
An inspection of container vans consigned to Chastity, which arrived at the Port of Subic in August 2024, showed the goods were declared as frozen fish egg balls, a processed food item not under the jurisdiction of the BPI. However, the containers yielded thousands of cartons of yellow onions, which are subject to the DA-BPI’s regulations.
Carmela Rivera, area manager of BPI-National Plant Quarantine Services Division at the Port of Subic, initiated the inspection after receiving “derogatory information” that the shipments contain agricultural products not declared in the importation documents.
BPI personnel, the Bureau of Customs, and other port authorities confirmed the presence of yellow onions along with the frozen fish eggs. The onions lacked the necessary sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance, a permit required to prevent the spread of harmful pests that could threaten local crops and ecosystems.
The complaint highlighted the risk posed by the misdeclaration, noting that the absence of proper permits and inspections potentially endanger public health and safety. The complaint pointed out that Chastity is not a registered BPI importer, thus violating importation regulations.
The Bureau of Customs confiscated a total of 6,395 stacks of yellow onions. Tests revealed high levels of microbiological contaminants, including E. coli, making them unsafe for human consumption. The complaint also named Lina Bang Talan, the owner and president of Chastity, as a respondent in the case.
