DOJ absolves 'diamond queen' of violating tax, tariff laws

A British businesswoman of Chinese origin dubbed as the “diamond queen," was absolved by the Department of Justice (DOJ) of violating tax and tariff laws, radio dzBB’s Teresa Tavares reported on Friday. In a 16-page resolution, the DOJ panel of prosecutors dismissed the charges slapped against Siu Ting Alpha Kwok by the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG), which accused the British national of violating the Tariff and Customs Code and the National Internal Revenue Code. On August 14, 2009, the PASG reported the arrest of Kwok and the seizure of $10.4-million worth of allegedly smuggled diamonds and signature watches from the businesswoman’s residence at Pacific Place in Ortigas, Pasig City. But dzBB quoted the DOJ as saying that the charges filed against Kwok were fabricated. The department also questioned why the PASG did not inventory the expensive pieces of jewelry seized from Kwok. Last September, Kwok filed graft and illegal arrest complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman against eight officials of the PASG. Undersecretary Antonio Villar Jr., PASG chief, and seven other officials and operatives of the anti-smuggling group were charged for allegedly arresting Kwok without warrant. Charged along with Villar were Director for Intelligence Guillermo Francia, Luciano Millan of the Legal Division, Capt. Carlo Joseph Jaucian, PO3 Florante Azur, operative Julie Gamboa, and consultant Ruben Taguba. Kwok’s lawyer, Bonifacio Alentajan said his client was “erroneously and unlawfully turned over to the Bureau of Immigration and since then, Ms. Kwok has been imprisoned without any legal authority" at the Bureau of Immigration Detention Center in Taguig City. - ARCS/GMANews.TV