Customs file raps vs alleged smuggler Bigcas, 5 others

(Updated 12:34 p.m.) The Bureau of Customs on Thursday filed with the Department of Justice a smuggling complaint against Lynard Allan Bigcas for his alleged illegal importation of almost 30 cars. Bigcas supposedly brought in the vehicles without the required Authority to Import document that is issued by the Bureau of Import Service of the Department of Trade and Industry, said Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez at a news briefing at the DOJ. The BOC likewise sued Bigcas' alleged cohorts, namely, Noeh B. Alcala, Gilbert Omolon, Luke B. Alcala, Lyann Bigcas and Joshua Bigcas. They are the registered owners of the vehicles and "big bikes" that were allegedly smuggled to the Philippines before July 2010. At a House of Representatives hearing last month, Bigcas has denied any attempt to smuggle motor vehicle parts to the Philippines, saying he was not aware that he had to pay taxes for shipping the goods to the country. In Thursday's briefing, Alvarez said the vehicles in question were registered at the Land Transportation Office's branches in Lanao del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur. This, even if the BOC has not issued a Certificate of Payment that will attest that the importer paid the proper amount of duties and taxes for the shipment. "We have no record whatsover. We were unable to issue a Certificate of Payment, and yet the LTO was able to register this in their Lanao and Zamboanga offices. That is the reason why we have an intention of filing the case to include the LTO officials," the Customs chief said. NBI raid Last month, the National Bureau of Investigation conducted a raid in Bigcas' property in Bukidnon. The raid was prompted by the complaint of Hollywood screenwriter Skip Woods, who claimed his big bike was stolen in Houston, Texas last year. Woods sought the help of the FBI to track down his missing bike, which was later traced to the Philippines. The NBI raid yielded luxury vehicles, high-powered, firearms and a "black book" that listed names of Mindanao local government officials as his alleged clients. But Bigcas has claimed that the names on the list were people who purchased motorcycle parts from him. Bigcas is already facing charges of illegal possession of firearms at the Bukidnon Provincial Prosecutors’ Office from the NBI in connection with the recovery of the high-powered guns. The complaint of the Bureau of Customs, on the other hand, covers Bigcas' alleged illegal smuggling of vehicles. The Bureau of Immigration, an attached agency of the DOJ, has included Bigcas on its watch list to prevent him from leaving the Philippines. — RSJ, GMA News