Six BOC personnel sacked fr posts over alleged sugar smuggling
By Nidz Godino
“May mga transferred na ilang mga Customs officials pending investigation of their participation in an alleged smuggling, ‘yung nakalagay sa office order, of sugar at Port of Subic,” Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said six personnel of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) have been relieved from their posts over alleged smuggling of sugar at the Port of Subic.
At a press conference Angeles said personnel were transferred to the Office of the Commissioner pending probe into the incident.
“Temporarily inassign po sila o trinansfer po sila sa Office of the Commissioner while investigation is ongoing,” she stressed.
She identified concerned personnel as Maritess Theodossis Martin, district collector;Maita Sering Acevedo, deputy collector for assessment;Giovanni Ferdinand Aguillon Leynes, deputy collector for operations;Belinda Fernando Lim, chief of assessment division;Vincent Mark Solamin Malasmas, Enforcement Security Service (ESS) commander; and Justice Roman Silvoza Geli, Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) supervisor.
The Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) said there was an attempt to smuggle some 140,000 bags of sugar from Thailand last week at the said port.
Based on an initial probe, recycled permit was supposedly used for importation.
Earlier, Angeles warned heads would roll in BOC if proven that its port personnel are “in connivance with smugglers using recycled sugar import permits.”
Meanwhile, authorities inspected warehouses in Cagayan de Oro City suspected of hoarding sugar, the OPS said.
Operatives from BOC exercised their visitorial powers in warehouse owned by Crystal Sugar Milling Inc. in North Poblacion.
The operation was conducted after authorities received an intelligence report that owner was allegedly involved in sugar hoarding.
The CIIS said total of 466,142 sacks of sugar were included in their inventory following operation in the said warehouse.
The OPS said warehouse manager Javier Sagarbarria had told authorities that person holding pertinent sugar transaction documents was not present when inspection took place.
Through the operations, Angeles said administration and public could see real state of the country’s sugar industry, noting that authorities can determine if there is really shortage in the supply.
“Ang mahalaga po, nakikita natin ‘yung tunay na estado ng merkado natin may asukal ba talaga diyan, paubos ba talaga nitong end of the month…kung hindi naman at mayroon palang asukal diyan pero for some reason hindi nailalabas, legitimate or not, then at least makikita natin kung tama ba ‘yung pag-i-import natin o tama ba ang pag-compute sa importation natin,” she said.
Meanwhile,BOC has donated 6,357.8 liters of seized fuel to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
In a statement, the Bureau said turnover was conducted at the Port of Clark compound last week.
“Through the provisions of R.A. No. 10863 otherwise known as Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) and with approval of the Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary, donation intends to assist PCG in its maritime search & rescue, safety and security operations,” the BOC said.
The unmarked fuel was seized by BOC Port of Clark in September 2021 through the implementation of Letter of Authority (LOA) issued by Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero.
A decision was subsequently issued by the port declaring shipment forfeited in favor of the government for violating Section 7 of DOF-BOC-Bureau of Internal Revenue Joint Circular No. 001.2021 Joint Circular 001.2021.
ISKUP! 