Thursday, August 23, 2007 Anti-smuggling czar hits customs anew despite plea for truce
DESPITE an earlier directive from Finance Secretary Margarito Teves to end their feud and work together, Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group chief Antonio Villar Jr. continued his tirade against the Bureau of Customs (BOC) as he blamed the agency's non-cooperation for the delay in the investigation and resolution of several smuggling cases.
Villar said the investigation, particularly those involving certain customs officials, is ongoing although they have already been asking the BOC for sometime already to submit certain documents which to date, they have yet to be receive.
He added that he is planning to take up the matter with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo but he is still hoping that it would not get to that. He said he is hoping that the BOC, on its own, would just cooperate and work with the PASG.
Finance Secretary Margarito Teves, whose office oversees the BOC and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), earlier told the Customs and PASG to settle their differences and work hand-in-hand, particularly after reports came out that some BOC officials are being investigated for involvement in smuggling and technical smuggling.
The PASG said some customs collectors, cargo examiners and appraisers are among the 100 persons being investigated for involvement in smuggling.
Teves said the finance department would do its own inquiry and eventually file separate charges if they prove that the customs officials are indeed involved in smuggling.
Villar urged lawmakers to review the security of tenure for both the BOC and BIR officials and eventually amend the law accordingly after some of the two agencies' officials use it to avoid penalties.
He said the anti-smuggling campaign would move forward faster if customs officials could not hide behind their security of tenure and easily be sacked or removed from office if proven that they are engaged in illegal activities.
Villar added that aside from conniving with erring officials, some smugglers or those engaging in the illegal activity have also been dropping the name of the President, First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo or other members of the First family to get away with it.
He said they received reports that some people, perceived to be close to the President or simply name-dropping the First Family, are involved in smuggling but until now no concrete evidence are available to prove the allegation or pin them down.
Villar assured that there are no sacred cows as far as PASG is concerned, urging those who have evidence to come out and work with them, including Senator Panfilo Lacson whom he said should name names after he exposed that some people "very close to Malacañang" continue to engage in smuggling.
In a related development, Teves assured the public that a proposed lifestyle check for certain taxpayers would not be abused by the BIR. He said the lifestyle check might follow the pattern being used by the government now in evaluating certain presidential appointees. (JMR/Sunnex)
