Appoint new customs commissioner, groups urge President Aquino

DAVAO CITY—Anti-corruption groups are calling on President Aquino to appoint a new customs commissioner even as they defended the journalist earlier criticized for his series of reports on alleged smuggling at the Davao port of the Bureau of Customs (BOC).
The groups, which included the People Power Volunteers for Reform (PPRV), the People’s Action Against Corruption (PAAC) and the Ehem Anti-Corruption Program, also called on the President to reinstall the operation of the country’s first container yard outside custom’s zone as a way to fight corruption.

“We thank the customs collectors for giving us this opportunity to clarify issues and offer solutions,” said a statement of the groups in reply to the June 2 paid ad by the Customs Collectors Association of the Philippines (CCAP) castigating Inquirer correspondent Jeffrey Tupas.

“Jeffrey Tupas is not the enemy,” the anti-corruption groups said.

“He (Tupas) should not be vilified. He should be praised for telling the truth,” said the statement signed by Benjamin Lizada of the PPRV in the region; Ednar Dayanghirang of PPRV in Davao City; Mussolini Lidasan, lead convenor of the People’s Movement Against Corruption; Fr. Albert Alejo SJ, who leads the country’s Ehem Anti-Corruption Program; and six others.

The groups called on the President to reinstate the memorandum of agreement (MOA) of the BOC with the Aquarius Container Yard (ACY) earlier rescinded by Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales, upon the recommendation of a Davao City customs official who said that ACY owner and operator Rodolfo Reta had refused to render service.

“Why would Rodolfo Reta refuse to render service when it was his source of living?” the groups asked. “The truth is, the Arroyo administration canceled the MOA because Reta discovered and reported to (District Collector Anju) Castigador that 40 vans of rice were misdeclared.”

The groups said that the shipment of smuggled rice was already cleared by the BOC for release and already had a gate pass signed by BOC’s Alicodsaman Dimancisil “even before it was physically examined.”

The groups reiterated that upon examination, X-rays showed sacks of rice, not construction fillings as declared in the shipment. “When ACY lawyer Manuel Quibod reported this to Castigador, the latter closed the ACY instead of investigating the report,” the statement said.

PAAC also refuted the custom collectors’ statement that the government earned P12.8 million when the seized items were auctioned off.

“We do not dispute the fact that the seized rice was auctioned off but we contend that the government stands to earn more if the proper taxes on imports are collected,” the statement said.

They also pointed out how BOC insisted that it could not locate the identity of the people behind the Rapzel General Merchandise and the failure of BOC to summon the company’s broker, named Michael Corong, for an investigation. “As to the seized rice, what happened after the auction? Who bought the rice? The BOC knew the importer but said they could not locate the people behind the company,” the statement said.

The groups also cited a March 2, 2010, letter from Corong, expressing “support for Castigador, the very person who seized and auctioned off his shipment.”

The groups offered a number of solutions, among them the appointment of a new customs commissioner and a cleanup of the BOC and the reinstallation of container terminals outside of customs zone as a way to combat corruption.

To perfect the system to minimize smuggling within the BOC ports, the groups proposed that a citizens’ watch group should be allowed to look into the operation of container yards outside the customs zone (CYOCZs).

The group also proposed that CYOCZ operators who are service providers in the area should be chosen to prevent individual or groups from monopolizing all CYOCZs.

“Mr. President, we want you to succeed, so, we are not just raising an issue, we are offering a solution,” the statement said.

“Smuggling in the Bureau of Customs is staggering and that everyone knows that for it to thrive, it must be protected by people in power. Do not be afraid to do the right thing, Mr. President, we will support you,” the group said.