THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Region 12 is awaiting an official report from the authorities about "misdeclared" sacks of cigarettes worth P1 million that were confiscated at Pulupandan port in Negros Occidental last May 26.
Pulupundan Police Chief Alfred de Leon said Monday, May 29, that the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) coordinated with the Bureau of Customs for an investigation, but the agency cannot intervene in the case because the contraband were not considered imported goods, prompting them to refer the case to the BIR.
BIR Revenue Region 12 Director Eduardo Pagulayan Jr. told SunStar Bacolod on Monday they have yet to receive an official communication from the PPA and the police regarding the case.
"I heard about it, but there has been no report submitted to us yet," he said.
Pagulayan said they will hold an investigation once they receive the facts of the case.
Last Friday, the PPA and the police confiscated 50 sacks of cigarettes at the roll-on roll-off port in Pulupandan. Arrested were Pablito Lim-it, 53, of Talisay City, and Benjo Estrella, 27, of Pontevedra town.
The cargo came from Batangas.
De Leon said the driver and helper had no knowledge about the confiscated items, as they were only asked to deliver school supplies.
However, upon inspection of the port police, it was revealed that there was misdeclaration of the cargo. The confiscated items are now in police custody.
Both Lim-it and Estrella were released by police Monday morning after the 36-hour reglementary period lapsed.