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Wednesday, August 13, 2003
Port officials behind smuggling: NBI
By Edwin G. Espejo
GENERAL SANTOS -- Lawyer Boye Mama, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) chief in the South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos area, said Tuesday he would initiate an investigation into the foiled attempt to smuggle goods and possibly mercury into the Makar port last Sunday.
More than 223 boxes and bales of items wrongly declared were seized Monday by a joint team of NBI, the Philippine Coast Guard and Bureau of Customs (BOC) operatives from a cargo vessel that docked at Makar Wharf Sunday evening.
In addition, the consignees of the seized items also declared as seaweed extracts more than 1,500 bags of soil believed to contain gold ore.
An undetermined volume of corn listed in the cargo manifest was also ordered impounded.
Mama said the shipment was declared as yellow corn grain, seaweed and car accessories.
NBI agents, however, claimed they found large quantities of the banned artificial sweetener Neotogen, textiles and carpets, lingerie, infant accessories and motorcycle parts.
The ship was likewise loaded with detergent powder, according to the NBI.
The shipment reportedly came from Bitung, Indonesia.
But what created a big furor was the allegation that mv Honduras, a Philippine cargo vessel owned by Cebu-based Ocean Express Shipping Inc., also allegedly smuggled 100 canisters of toxic mercury metal.
Sources said some port and customs officials allowed some unidentified cargo to be unloaded from the ship Sunday dawn, just hours after Philippine Coast Guard Station Chief George Ursabia ordered it placed under close watch Sunday evening.
Both Mama and Ursabia claimed they received intelligence reports about a big shipment of toxic mercury metal that would be unloaded from mv Honduras Sunday.
The items were reportedly intended for a still unidentified consignee in Davao City.
Ursabia said one of his men tried to chase a green Nissan Safari Patrol vehicle, which was seen loading into the vehicle undetermined cargoes unloaded from the vessel Monday dawn.
He said they are still determining the identity of the owner of the vehicle.
Makar port customs collector Lowell Medija told reporters he is still gathering reports from his men concerning the goods seized by the NBI on Monday morning.
Medija said customs examiners are now trying to determine the value of the seized cargoes that are now under their custody.
He added he was in Davao City, together with Ursabia, to attend a conference when NBI agents swooped on the 15-man crew of mv Honduras Monday morning.
Mama, however, believed some port and customs officials were involved in the foiled smuggling attempt.
"Hindi natin masiguro (We cannot be sure) who are these persons. But definitely, these traders will not be bold enough to bring illegal items without contacts from different offices inside the port," Mama claimed.
He said the NBI would continue to investigate officials and employees of customs, coast guard, and maritime police involved in smuggling activities at the wharf.
"Later on siguro, marami tayong makukuha," Mama said. (Maybe we could arrest some of them later on.)
His comments drew strong reactions from customs and coast guard officials.
"Accusing is one thing and proving is another. They can do that (accusing us)," Medija said.
He said his office would also launch a separate investigation into the allegation.
On the other hand, Ursabia denied Mama's accusations there were no coast guard and customs officials when the NBI boarded the vessel.
He said his men tried to contact the Bureau of Customs (BOC) office and requested the customs police to board the vessel, which docked at 10 p.m. Sunday.
But Ursabia said he was told there were no available customs police on duty during that night.
He then ordered his men to monitor the ship after the BOC sent a customs examiner to board the ship.
The coastguard chief, however, believed some of the ship's cargoes were smuggled out Sunday evening.
He did not rule out the possibility that the reported canisters of mercury were among those that were smuggled out on Sunday. Sun.Star General Santos
(August 13, 2003 issue)
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