Monday, July 02, 2007 Mongaya: Crisis By Anol Mongaya Panahom
THE Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) apparently does not know how to look for smuggled goods without interfering with legitimate importations and thus, triggering a crisis at the various ports in Metro Manila. The situation is expected to get sympathetic reactions from Cebu.
The new anti-smuggling group, believing that it could do anything because of its “presidential” tag, has adopted the Gestapo-like policy of “arrest everybody first then sort out who is guilty.”
Importers and brokers at the National Capital Region have reportedly decided to avoid the Bureau of Customs today and everyday thereafter if PASG pushes on with its merry fascistic ways.
According to my source, the PASG had indiscriminately issued alerts on hundreds of container vans but after subjecting these under 100 percent examination, no smuggled items were found. Imagine, even a regular shipment of figurines was not spared.
Cebu got a taste of PASG when agents from Manila arrived with alert orders for 31 container vans containing steel coils. Maybe they thought the vans, because these were 20-footers, contained smuggled rice. But after a 100 percent examination, they found out that the shipment did not contain any smuggled goods.
The Philippines is supposedly one of the prime movers of free trade and trade facilitation for years now. But this presidential group does not care a bit as it delays the release of the most legitimate importations in Metro Manila and, initially, in Cebu.
Because possible “sympathy” actions by Cebu-based importers and brokers are expected, District Collector Boysie Belmonte should not just bow down to the whims of these new anti-smuggling lords who apparently don’t know how to stop smuggling. He should protect his turf especially now that he has surpassed his target for six consecutive months. Boysie should not allow this “alert-happy” group to spoil this record.
Nonetheless, I believe President Arroyo’s men have already been already dispatched to ease whatever tension the PASG has caused.
Perhaps, the group should hear out some unsolicited advice, like monitoring smuggling outside the customs area. After all, there are already Customs police and Customs intelligence men looking over each other’s shoulders there.
For example, there is this George Insek, who reportedly oversees the entry of smuggled goods from Metro Manila to Cebu through the domestic airport. The guy, whose family name starts with an O, owns a big warehouse in a secluded district in southern Cebu city.
PASG should also look into the arrival of tons of luxury goods in local malls and shops. The items did not pass the customs bureau for checking. The group should also look into how expensive signature jewelry, perfume and clothing have entered the country.
Worse, there was an entry of contrabands, like as guns and illegal drugs. I am sure the shabu supply that found its way to outlets, like Duljo and Ermita, were made from imported ingredients. Why won’t the PASG devise ways on how to stop the entry of these precursors?
Why is PASG focusing on going after legitimate shipments? Because the importers would rather give “tara” than pay the more expensive warehousing fees at the port? It seems they’d rather not import at all, guys.
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