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Thursday, April 24, 2008
13 officials, 16 others charged for 'graft'
MANILA -- The Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) filed charges with the Office of the Ombudsman against 29 individuals including officials of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and Land Transportation Office (LTO) who were found violating the anti-graft and corrupt practices act and fraud.
PASG chief Antonio Villar Jr. said charges ranging from violation of Section 3(e), Republic Act (RA) 3019, otherwise known as Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and violation of Section 3606 (Failure to Report Fraud), Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines (TCCP) has been filed against the said individuals whom they apprehended in their intensified anti-smuggling campaign.
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Charged BOC officials were Maximo Reyes, Elizabeth delas Llagas, Jamalodin Macadindang, Abdullah Basher, Baltazar Morales, Robert Millares, H.R. Hernandez, Kumar Buxani, Conrado Abarintos, Alexander Cabagnot, and Ricardo Reluya.
"We have to file charges so the law can take its regular course and also to show that we are serious in ridding the country of smugglers," Villar said.
He said the BOC officials violated Section 3602 (Various fraudulent practices against customs revenue) and Presidential Decree (PD) 1464, otherwise known as the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines as amended.
The case stemmed from the operation conducted by PASG operatives led by Daniel Daganzo on November 23, 2007 at the warehouse of R33 Car Exchange Center located at No. 31 Xavierville Avenue in Quezon City.
The operatives discovered nine luxury vehicles in the warehouse suspected to be smuggled.
After an open and thorough investigation, PASG established probable cause that the persons involved in the importation and release processing of the vehicles violated the law.
Those LTO officials charged were Merciditas Gutierrez and J.A. Saligbon. Importers of the luxury vehicles identified as Angelito Hernandez, Allan Legaspi, Mary Anne Francisco, Fritz Osales, Danilo Cruz, Gloria Ronquillo, Rosita Daquil, Darius Israel De Perio, Consuelo Pingul, Raymond Ronquillo, Milagros Cano, and Joselito Polintan were also charged
Record showed that Hernandez, through misrepresentation and under-valuation, paid only P40,511 for the importation of a Toyota XLS Avalon model 2005. He avoided paying the proper duties and taxes amounting to P268,549.23 through the help of Basher and Reyes that deprived the government of the much needed revenue.
Because of the discovery of the under-valued vehicle, the PASG managed to trace the warehouse that resulted in the apprehension of other luxury vehicles.
Villar is optimistic the ombudsman will act swiftly so the violators of the law will be slapped with the necessary penalties.
Meanwhile, the PASG chief said they have identified at least six known personalities involved in car smuggling operations in Cebu alone.
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Villar refused to name smugglers in a media interview but said they have already furnished President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo a list of their names.
"It's very alarming, your honor, that even the chassis can be registered as a whole," he said.
He said the hot cars are usually registered in Metro Manila, a sign that they have accomplices in the LTO and the BOC.
Villar, however, said they still do not have enough evidence to pinpoint the smugglers' cohorts.
"We don't have any direct evidence but yes we've (received such reports)," he said.
He said most of the smuggled items come from Singapore, Malaysia and China, mostly cars, oil, resins, iron and steel and general merchandise such as rice and electronics products.
He said smuggling accounts for P65 billion in annual revenues loss. (WV/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Dumaguete. (April 24, 2008 issue)
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