By JOB REALUBIT

ENVIRONMENTAL group Green-peace yesterday asked the government to put on quarantine some 44,000 metric tons of rice shipment from the United States which they suspect were contaminated with genetically modified rice.

Currently being offloaded at Subic port, Greenpeace says the rice shipment came via the bulk carrier MV Liberty Eagle, which arrived in the country on February 21.

The environmental group yesterday daringly went to the dock site of the vessel, and onboard two motorized rubber inflatable boats, the group hung a banner on the starboard side of the ship with the words "GMO rice risk."

According to Daniel Ocampo, the group’s genetic engineering campaigner, the government must run test on the rice shipment to make sure that it is free from GMO rice contamination.

"The National Food Authority (NFA) must quarantine this shipment and run stringent tests based on the European Union (EU) protocols before the rice is distributed to the public," Ocampo said.

NFA administrator Jessup P. Navarro said that US rice shipment has been tested and certified as GMO-free by Eurofins Gene Scan through the United States Department of Agriculture.

Navarro cited that Eurofins issued a non-GMO certificate after testing sublots from the US rice onboard MV Liberty Eagle, performing three test samples of approximately 1000 kernels each.

"The test results were also verified by USDA/Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA)," Navarro said.

"We assure the general public that the government, through the Department of Agriculture and NFA, continues to be vigilant and cautious particularly in the aspect of food safety," Navarro said.

He stressed that his agency follows strict procedures including tests undertaken by the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) to ensure that they only distribute, through their accredited retailers and other outlets, rice that is safe for human consumption.

The US rice arrived at Subic port last week under the USPL 480, a soft loan program of the US with a long term repayment scheme.

Greenpeace’s Ocampo noted that in 2006, a rice shipment from the US also arrived in the country and later tested positive for GMO contamination.

"Nung 2006 nakahanap kami ng mga rice na binebenta sa supermarket na positibo sa genetically modified rice," Ocampo told reporters.

"Nung 2006 sa Amerika naging widespread yung contamination ng unauthorized at illegal genetically modified rice ng Bayer at nakahanap na kami nito nung 2006 sa Pilipinas at ayaw na nating maulit yon. Illegal ito, unauthorized at unsafe," he added.

Ocampo said various studies abroad have shown that genetically modified rice are unsafe for human consumption.

"Ang genetically-modified rice na yan na galing sa America at dinevelop ng Bayer o Liberty Link ay isang uri ng bigas na kailangan mong gamitan ng herbicide para mamatay ang mga damo sa palayan. Ito ay genetically-modified, meaning pinakialam at pinasukan ng mga characteristics na hindi natural o normal sa bigas na iyon. Maraming pananaliksik sa laboratoryo ang nagpapakita na hindi natin dapat ito kainin o hindi natin dapat pakawalan sa kapaligiran dahil marami syang inherent risks," he explained.

Bayer is a multi-national firm that produce and develop genetically modified organism (GMO) crops, including rice. The group said the company is currently facing lawsuits from farmers and US rice traders for income losses as a result of using their products, running into billions of dollars.