Lina: GMA Network not to blame for fake permits

MANILA, Philippines–New Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina ordered the release of broadcast equipment of GMA Network Inc. that had been held by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) because the broadcaster had no hand in the submission of fake import permits by the broker who handled the shipment.

Lina pointed this out on Sunday night as he asserted that it was “very unlikely” the giant broadcast firm would engage in an illegal act to get its shipment released from a customs warehouse.

The bonded warehouse, coincidentally, is operated by U-Freight, one of the firms under the Lina Group of Companies. As is the brokerage, 2100 Customs Brokerage Inc. or 2100 CB, whose representative handled the shipment for GMA.

In a phone interview, Lina told the Inquirer that “in fairness to GMA, it should not be faulted for what happened.”

“The TV network was not behind the reported irregularity, which was allegedly committed by a representative of the network’s broker,” 2100 CB, he said.

Lina said it was “unfortunate” that the erring broker’s representative was an employee of one of his firms.

In an April 28 directive, Lina called for the lifting of the BOC-issued alert order on the GMA shipment, citing the recommendations of the bureau’s law division and its revenue collection office at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

‘Highly improbable’

The law division had said that “the manner by which the NTC (National Telecommunications Commission) import permits were brought about should not be unfairly imputed against GMA Network precisely because the latter did not authorize Jason de Ramos, a mere representative of the customs broker, to do so.”

“What was done by Ramos was an ultra vies act (an act beyond the authority of a corporation to perform) and this should not bind GMA Network. It would be highly improbable for GMA, a company well-known internationally for its credible reputation, to allow this illegal act as this would utterly and unnecessarily ruin its good name. Thus, the resulting consequence of such an act should be borne by Ramos alone,” it said.

Overzealousness

The BOC law division added: “The act may be due to the overzealousness of Ramos to swiftly process the release of the shipment. Still, the manner by which it was executed we still do not condone.”

For its part, GMA Network said it was “not at fault” and “will never condone any illegal act.”

In a statement, GMA said it “fully complied with all the requirements pertaining to the importation of the equipment which are necessary for upgrading our facilities.”

“The discontinuance of customs processing for the release of the equipment was caused by the alleged infractions committed by an employee of our broker, 2100 CB. GMA had absolutely nothing to do with the alleged irregularities. The said employee has since been dismissed by 2100 CB and GMA has stopped engaging the services of 2100 CB for our new importations since the time the irregularities were discovered,” the broadcaster said.

On the sudden and unexplained transfer of lawyer Leonardo Peralta, chief of the BOC Investigation Division, to the controversial Customs Policy Research Office (CPRO), the so-called “freezer” at the Department of Finance head office, Lina said he was “not behind the transfer.”

“It was recommended by a DOF (Department of Finance) panel. When I assumed my post, the recommendation to move him to CPRO was already there,” he said. Lina did not name the members of the panel.

He also did not say if he had replied to an April 30 memo from Deputy Commissioner Jessie Dellosa questioning Peralta’s transfer to the CPRO. The Investigation Division is part of the Customs Intelligence Group (IG) headed by Dellosa, a former Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff.

Dellosa said the sudden transfer of Peralta, who he said had his trust and confidence, “caught the IG by surprise as no prior consultation or comment was sought” from his office by Lina.

“As such, this office was not able to foresee the need for the proper transition of cases, especially since (Peralta) was the chief of the Investigation Division, which has direct involvement and supervision over several ongoing cases of the BOC,” he said.

The cases include the alleged diversion to the local market of smuggled ukay ukay (used clothing) shipments involving an undisclosed number of customs personnel, he added.