Palace agency seizes vehicles in Cebu

MANILA, Philippines - The Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) is coordinating with other agencies to determine the legality of the importation and registration of 21 seized vehicles in the Port of Cebu. Authorities intercepted the vehicles last month after an informant said smuggled Korean-made cars are being transported from Cagayan de Oro City to Cebu City on board the M/V Asia-China, M/V Asia-Malaysia and M/V Asia-Hong Kong, all of Trans-Asia Shipping Lines, Inc. PASG head Undersecretary Antonio A. Villar, Jr., in a statement, said they have asked the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to verify the vehicles’ registration, and they have formally questioned before the Bureau of Customs (BoC) the payment for import duties and taxes. "We are still waiting for the certification from the LTO and the BoC before the formal filing of charges against the company and persons behind the importation of these vehicles," Mr. Villar said. PASG said its regional arm had forwarded the verification request to the LTO on the registration of the seized vehicles. The seized cars are now in the custody of PASG-Region 7 pending the presentation of documents of the consignees and certifications from the LTO and BoC. The seized cargo was reportedly consigned to a certain Francisco Llenos, Nelson Caintapan and Hun Pyong Choi. PASG said the consignees’ representatives who were to claim the cargo declared that the vehicles were already registered with the LTO and that temporary license plate numbers had been issued. "The representatives failed to present import documents and registration papers of the seized vehicles, explaining that the documents were left at the port of origin," PASG said. — BusinessWorld