Customs orders 260,000 liters of fuel products seized

THE acting District Collector of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in the port of Davao has ordered the forfeiture of the 260,000 liters of petroleum products that became one of the issues that led to the relief of a Customs official last year.

Acting District Collector Ricardo Butalid Jr., in an order dated February 12 a copy of which was obtained by Sun.Star Davao, said the petroleum products consigned to Noifranz Fuel Products were illegally shipped to the port of Jolo.

Also seized were the M/T Elaine and the truck used in transferring the shipment to General Santos City.

Davao port collector Ernesto Aradanas, who was eventually replaced, allegedly delayed issuing a warrant of seizure and detention (WSD) for the shipment after it arrived from Malaysia on September 2.

Noifranz's lawyer, Froebel Kan Balleque, argued that the warrant was illegal because the shipment was cleared in Jolo after the importer paid P548,669 for it.

But contrary to the importer's declaration that the shipment contained Raw Gas Sabah Condensate, the shipment contained finished petroleum, an examination by the Department of Energy (DOE) found.

It was also discovered that the excise tax was not paid and that Noifranz had no permit from the Department of Energy to operate a petroleum business.

Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) agent Digno Enerio, who led the investigation, which led to the seizure of the fuel shipment, told Sun.Star Davao that while the shipment has been forfeited, Customs authorities must make sure the contraband is not pilfered.

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