Thursday, March 06, 2008 Customs told: name smugglers By Elias O. Baquero Sun.Star Staff Reporter With Rene H. Martel
MANILA—The House committee on good government yesterday ordered the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to submit a list of all importers and brokers believed to be involved in smuggling, so they can be invited to appear before the next congressional hearing, possibly in Cebu.
The committee gave the order after party-list Rep. Teddy Casiño raised the need to invite consignees and brokers of previous questionable shipments in various ports in the country, so they can be prosecuted.
Camiguin Rep. Pedro Romualdo, the committee chairman, brought up during the hearing a column of Valeriano Avila in the Philippine Star, in which the Cebuano businessman alleged that the congressional hearing is a cover-up for the shenanigans of “influential and dangerous” smugglers in Cebu.
“Is there any congressman who is involved in smuggling or is protecting smugglers?” Romualdo asked.
Rep. Pablo John Garcia (Cebu Province, 3rd district) moved to invite Avila so he can answer the committee’s questions about his column.
“Most probably, Avila was just spicing up his column. But if this committee will decide to invite Avila, that will be good. It’s high time that the Bureau of Customs named names. That generalization of Avila’s is disturbing because this has created doubts on the investigation of this committee and the House of Representatives,” Garcia added.
In Cebu City, Mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday opposed the destruction of confiscated smuggled vehicles, saying the national government might as well donate these to local government units (LGUs).
“Give it to our police. As a matter of fact, I got 10 already, and I have made representations to get another 10 for Mandaue (City) because they lack vehicles,” he said.
Snubbed again
He added that while he does not condone smuggling, buying second-hand luxury cars from abroad is definitely better than purchasing new ones here.
“If you want me to be controversial, (let me say that) I think the government should realize that it is better to buy second-hand cars from abroad than new cars because yeah, mas mahal (it will cost more). And you save on dollars,” he said.
Meanwhile, the committee issued a subpoena to Undersecretary Antonio Villar Jr. of the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG), who for the fourth time failed to attend the congressional hearing.
Budget
Cebu City Rep. Antonio Cuenco, whose resolution provoked the investigation on the allegedly rampant smuggling of vehicles, moved to subpoena Villar to appear in the next hearing.
Asked what will happen if Villar still refuses to attend the next hearing, Rep. Roilo Golez said they will be forced to issue a warrant of arrest against him.
For his part, Rep. Jose Solis of Sorsogon moved to ask the House committee on appropriations to look into the P50-million budget of the PASG.
He was provoked by a revelation of Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales that the PASG has contributed only P13 million to customs revenues since this was activated in July 2007.
Deputy Speaker Raul del Mar (Cebu City, north) pointed out that while the committee investigation is ongoing, smugglers in Cebu continue their activities as shown in the opening of eight vans containing 32 used and new cars.
Unabated
He requested Cebu District Collector Ricardo Belmonte to furnish the committee with the serial number of the new Hyundai that was among the 32 seized units, because Hyundai Cebu is willing to help identify the source of the vehicle in Korea.
Asked what measures the customs bureau had taken to prevent smuggling, Morales said they are now installing an electronic and paperless system that will minimize contact between importers and customs personnel. Once it is fully implemented, customs will no longer accept cash for payments of duties and taxes.
“We are already finished with ensuring connectivity with the Departure of Agriculture, which issues clearances for food importations. Connectivity with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) will take another 30 days,” Morales told the committee.
Also during the hearing, Director Raul Aguilos of the LTO 7 submitted to the committee three cartons of documents related to the registration of vehicles in LTO-Toledo City, as ordered by the committee last Feb. 13.
Assistant Secretary Alberto Suansing, the LTO chief, said the records were from the years 2006 and 2007.
