Wednesday, March 12, 2008 House to widen smuggling probe
THE congressional inquiry on allegedly rampant smuggling in Cebu may not focus on vehicles alone but will soon include all smuggled products when the House committee on good government resumes its hearing next month.
Rep. Pedro Romualdo made the manifestation after Rep. Liwayway Vinsons-Chato requested for a report from the Bureau of Customs (BOC) on the extent of smuggling, not only in Cebu, but in other ports of the country.
Chato said the report should also include the revenue lost due to smuggling, the identity of the suspected smugglers and the customs personnel involved.
The American Chamber of Commerce and the European Chamber of Commerce had alleged that smuggling sneaks in not only vehicles, but also fuel and other products.
A source from BOC said that a shipyard used a foreign vessel in smuggling fuel in the guise of docking in their area for repair.
Some House committee members also heard unconfirmed reports that the smuggling of rice and sugar still continues.
Rep. Raul del Mar (Cebu City, north) earlier observed that in technical smuggling, importers get away with misdeclaration of the value of goods.
Rep. Pablo P. Garcia (Cebu, 2nd district) said customs examiners of the BOC Port of Cebu must be invited or summoned by the committee so they can explain why more misdeclared goods were released when that is a violation of the Tariff and Customs Code. (EOB)
