Bureau of Customs to dissolve ‘notorious’ units

In a radical move, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said it plans to dissolve some units allegedly notorious for corruption, Customs Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Danilo Lim told GMA News Online on Wednesday. Lim, who did not name the units, said this is part of the BOC’s efforts to reform what is perceived to be the most corrupt government agency. “Hindi puwedeng mag-relax. Kasi alam mo ang problema diyan, maraming corrupt sa loob na kasabwat ng mga smugglers," Lim explained in an interview after his talk at the symposium “Filipino Integrity: Beliefs and Practices" held at the De La Salle – College of St. Benilde in Manila. The head of the European Union in the Philippines earlier said the BOC needs to implement reforms if the Philippines would like to become a trade and investment hub. Missing container vans The issue of the 1,910 missing container vans, which supposedly caused the ouster of former Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez, is also gaining steam under the new Customs administration, Lim said. He noted that the bureau has filed cases against around 14 civilians involved in the case, and there are now recommendations to also file cases against the Customs officials involved. “More cases will be filed," he said. The BOC, then under Alvarez, alleged that a number of suspects smuggled the missing vans and defrauded the government of P240 million in potential revenues. The vans contained general merchandise supposed to be brought from the Port of Manila to the Batangas Port between May and June this year.
“I believe it landed in the warehouses of the owners, the importers. Kasi parang ginawa nilang conduit or way for smuggling ito eh. Hindi na pinarating doon sa final port of destination, hindi na nagbayad ng buwis," said BOC Investigation Division chief Fernandino Tuason. The National Bureau of Investigation is also conducting a parallel investigation, while the BOC’s Investigation Division recommended in August to file a case against 14 individuals and 16 BOC officials for economic sabotage. Tuason added that they also recommended that the private respondents undergo a Bureau of Internal Revenue audit, the licenses of the BOC officials be suspended and for all respondents to be put in the Immigration bureau’s watch list. Christmas crackdown Lim added that as Christmas approaches, the BOC is intensifying its crackdown on smuggled imported firecrackers. Likewise, the BOC is strengthening its efforts against smuggled agricultural products such as onions, according to Lim. He said the bureau has confiscated several container vans of imported onions in the past few months. “Nagko-concentrate ako diyan dahil ang tinatamaan niyan ‘yung mga farmers natin eh, ‘di ba, ‘yung mga local growers natin, ‘pag nag-influx ‘yung very cheap na sibuyas from China," Lim said. Just last month, the BOC filed smuggling charges against six traders and brokers who allegedly tried to sneak in P27.3 million worth of onions from China to the Philippines between March and September this year. — BC/ELR, GMA News