Thursday, April 17, 2008 Customs forfeits smuggled flour
THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Wednesday forfeited 55 container vans of wheat flour from China worth P31.7 million.
Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales informed President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of the forfeiture in a meeting at the BOC boardroom shortly before she flew to Dinagat Island and Surigao del Norte.
Arroyo visited again the BOC main office in Manila last Wednesday to check on the status of the case on the shipment, which she was supposed to inspect Monday afternoon. She also wanted cases filed "immediately" against erring BOC personnel.
Instead of an inspection, Arroyo last Monday ended up breathing down the necks of Customs officials to ensure that complaints against the consignee and Customs broker are prepared on the same day for filing on the following day.
Smuggling charges were filed against the officials of the consignee, Rubills International Inc., before the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday.
Morales said the shipment was forfeited because it violated the provision of the Consumer Act, which requires that food products should be marked with manufacturing and expiry dates.
He said the contraband would be auctioned off after the Bureau of Food and Drugs (Bfad) examines it and declares it fit for human consumption. If unfit for consumption, he said the Bfad would decide on how it would be disposed of.
He said the BOC has also seized 10 container vans of sugar brought in by Rubills, which were misdeclared as soya beans. He said soya beans, a non-regulated food product for importation, is charged only a 10 percent tariff compared to sugar which has a much-higher tariff of 50 percent.
He said all shipments consigned to Rubills have also been put on hold. He said he has also declared a tighter watch on all flour and starch shipments.
Morales also said administrative charges were filed against examiner Jennifer Namuag, chief examiner Mel Rabo, and chief appraiser Gregorio Magat for "inefficiency and incompetence in the performance of duties" and "conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service."
Arroyo had inquired about the administrative charges before leaving the BOC office. Told that the charges will be filed "immediately," the President asked: "Right after I leave, or shall I wait for you to issue the subpoena today?" (JMR/Sunnex)
