Wednesday, January 16, 2008 Nalzaro: Smuggling in Cebu By Bobby Nalzaro Saksi
I AGREE with Mayor Tomas Osmeña that a well-organized smuggling syndicate conniving with corrupt customs and land transportation officials is behind the rampant smuggling of imported luxury cars that slip through the Cebu port.
I think the mayor even personally knows some of the local players. They are well-known businessmen with strong political connections. Some of them are even campaign fund contributors of local and national politicians whom they think can protect their interests. They name drop top government officials.
I am not saying that the mayor is protecting these people. Smuggling is not within the reach of local government units. The least a mayor can do is advise these people to stop their illegal acts and pay taxes to the government.
It's an open secret in the Chinese community who among them are into illegal activities. But some community members are silent for fear of reprisal. We can't blame them.
Cebu ports have become the entry points of smuggled vehicles because of the crackdown in Subic. I think it is easy to smuggle here than in other ports. Smuggled vehicles confiscated in Manila were found to have been registered in the local LTO office.
But I'm wondering why the Bureau of Customs, with its sophisticated monitoring equipment, cannot stop smuggling. Besides, there are many operating units against smuggling. How come they got those vans containing smuggled vehicles worth P16 million over the weekend? That only shows that if they work religiously, they can curb smuggling in our port.
Or was it mere palabas by customs officials in view of the controversy involving smuggled vehicles here? Did the importers refuse to give in to the demands of corrupt customs officials in exchange for the release of the smuggled items?
I don't agree with Customs Collector Ricardo Belmonte who said they cannot identify and prosecute smugglers because they use fictitious names and addresses. I'm sure he knows these people but only refuses to run after them.
Customs should also run after brokerage firms in cahoots with smugglers. These brokers know who their clients are.
We can never stop smuggling if corruption continues to exist in that agency.
But how can we stop corruption there? Even if we install a cardinal as customs collector, I doubt if corruption can be eliminated in that agency.
