The integrity of the Bureau of Customs has been put into question because of several controversies. Corruption has been a perennial problem of the agency. We are well aware of the incompetence, smuggling, and other corrupt practices at the bureau.
Probably one of the biggest controversies the BoC has faced in history was the case of the missing 1,910 shipping containers, which happened under the nose of former Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez. The containers, loaded with rice and refined sugar, went missing during the transshipment from the Port of Manila to the Port of Batangas between May and June 2011. The government lost potential revenues worth P240 million due to this large-scale smuggling scheme. Several investigations were conducted but were eventually stopped after the appointment of then-Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon. Charges were filed against several brokers and officials of involved companies. Some containers were even recovered. However, to me, this did not mean closure.
Two years after the incident, I filed a resolution that called for the reopening of the investigation on the missing containers and the audit of the supermarket chain Puregold, which allegedly was the recipient of the rest of the missing containers. To date, no audit has been done. The case has not been resolved.
Under the present administration, one of the biggest controversies involving the BoC was the P6.4-billion shabu shipment, which happened in May 2017, during the term of former Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon. While several personalities were charged before the Department of Justice in relation to the shabu shipment, no Customs personnel was charged. This issue resulted in the resignation of Faeldon, who was later replaced by Commissioner Isidro Lapeña.
Problems continued under the new leadership. On March 23 this year, 105 shipping containers with P69 million worth of goods were released from the Port of Manila despite an alert order preventing their release. Inside these containers were ceramic tiles and diapers from China, and other imported goods, which were undervalued and misdeclared. As a result of investigations, charges were filed against the owners, officials, and brokers of the involved corporations, including the officials of Asian Terminals Inc., which released the containers. As reported by the BoC, these people “connived to secure the release of the containers from ATI premises without the necessary examination.”
It is sad that through the years, the BoC’s credibility has been doubted by many. Smuggling and other corrupt practices continue to prevail and people are getting used to it, to the point that what is morally and legally reprehensible has become, through the years, accepted practice. This is unacceptable.
The House Minority will file a resolution calling for the consideration to bring back the Societe Generale de Surveillance of Switzerland as a service provider of the BoC. The SGS is an international company offering inspection, verification, testing, and certification services worldwide. In 1986, this company was hired by the government, through a competitive bidding process, for the pre-shipment inspection and valuation of imported goods to enable Customs to collect the proper tariffs. However, the contract was terminated by former President Joseph Estrada. Several proposals to engage the services of SGS again were turned down during the succeeding administrations. Hence, we will be pushing for the BoC’s reconsideration of the services of SGS.
Furthermore, we will push for the implementation of the Lateral Attrition Law, which would reward and penalize Customs collectors and officials based on their actual performance.
If the current administration is serious about its fight against corruption, it should come up with ways to clean up the BoC, other than simply removing officials from their respective positions. I expect an intensified anti-smuggling campaign and stricter implementation of customs policies. Restoring the integrity of the BoC is a tough job but could be a great milestone of this administration.