A TOP official of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) said it is willing to work with the Malaysian government to verify the authenticity of tax stamps found on cigarettes seized during a recent raid in Lapu-Lapu City, as questions persist over whether the products were intended solely for export.
In an interview on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, Peza Director General Tereso Panga said the agency has been closely coordinating with authorities following the operation, including participating in a joint inspection with the Philippine National Police.
Panga said the company involved has been operating in the economic zone since 2019 and does not engage in local sales, claiming its products are exported to Malaysia. He added that the tax stamps found during the raid were reportedly supplied by Malaysian clients and are believed to be issued by the Malaysian government.
“If there’s anything illegal about it, the Malaysian government should help validate that claim since these products are bound for export,” Panga said, noting that representatives from the Malaysian Embassy have already visited the facility to help determine the authenticity of the stamps.
He added that while some equipment had been seized following the raid, cigarette stocks remain at the facility and allegations of illegal activity are still subject to verification.
P1.1-billion seizure
Authorities earlier seized an estimated P1.1 billion worth of suspected counterfeit cigarettes during a raid conducted by the Police Regional Office 7 on Friday, April 10, at a warehouse in Barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu City.
The operation led to the arrest of four Chinese nationals suspected of operating the illegal cigarette manufacturing facility. They are now under police custody pending the filing of appropriate charges.
Police, implementing a court-issued search warrant, discovered thousands of boxes of cigarettes believed to bear falsified tax stamps, along with cigarette-making machines and raw materials used in production. / KOC