Tuesday, May 13, 2008 Name smugglers, Cuenco to PASG
CEBU City Rep. Antonio Cuenco yesterday said he will pressure the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) to name the six influential smugglers in Cebu when the House Committee on Good Government resumes its hearing tomorrow.
Committee chairman Rep. Pedro Romualdo told Sun.Star Cebu that tomorrow’s hearing will be the last. Cuenco said that that Congress and the public must not be left hanging, especially that the six smugglers are reportedly dangerous.
During the hearing last April 23, Undersecretary Antonio Villar Jr., PASG chief, told the committee that there are six big-time smugglers, all from Cebu, who are operating in Central Visayas.
Evidence
Rep. Pablo John Garcia asked Villar to identify them but the PASG chief refused. Villar said they do not have strong evidence to support the filing of charges against them.
Villar said that while these six influential smugglers are already known publicly in Cebu, they cannot be prosecuted because they use dummies and fictitious consignees.
Villar also said these smugglers process the release of their illegal importations using unscrupulous customs brokers, who are now under investigation.
List
Cuenco said PASG already submitted the list of the six smugglers to Malacañang and it should be fair if the committee investigating the issue will be furnished the list.
Cuenco added that if Villar or any other PASG officer will not divulge the names of smugglers for fear of being charged in court especially that they lack strong evidence, they can identify them through an executive session.
The Cebu City congressman said that the smugglers will continue their illegal trade if they are not identified and prosecuted.
Cuenco filed House Resolution No. 320 urging an investigation on the alleged rampant vehicle smuggling in Cebu, based on the complaint by the Cebu Auto Dealers Association. The resolution was co-authored by all the other Cebu legislators.
Registered
Initially, it was established that thousands of vehicles, including Sports Utility Vehicles and luxury cars, were registered by Gavino Padin, then the registrar of the Land Transportation Office in Toledo City, even if the units were tax deficient.
However, not even one smuggler of these vehicles were identified due to the lack of witnesses. Most of the current owners of these vehicles are said to be buyers in good faith. (EOB)
