Smuggling, BOC graft dismay President in Davao

DAVAO CITY—President Aquino expressed dismay over the performance of the Bureau of Customs (BOC), an agency embattled by allegations of high-level corruption from smuggled goods that include “hot” vehicles.

“We are constantly viewing the performance of the BOC. We look at the raw data and the collections have increased … but I am not satisfied,” he said.

Mr. Aquino said while BOC collection has increased, this was smeared by the discovery of smuggled items in Cagayan de Oro and Bukidnon recently.

The President expressed disbelief over the claim made by customs officials in Cagayan de Oro that they did not know how the smuggled hot vehicles got through the port.

“They are supposed to be the ones tasked to make sure that no smuggled item gets through. Why are they claiming to having no knowledge about it?” he said.

The Cagayan de Oro customs office is headed by collector Anju Castigador, who was transferred from Davao City amid allegations of massive corruption and smuggling at the Davao City port, which Castigador had repeatedly denied.

The President was referring to the National Bureau of Investigation’s May 3 raids in Talakag, Bukidnon and in Cagayan de Oro City that led to the seizure of 21 high-end motorcycles and four luxury cars, including an $80,000 chopper motorcycle that belonged to Hollywood screenwriter Skip Woods which was reported stolen in the United States.

The President expressed his displeasure over BOC amid complaints made by an oil firm here that it was being used as a smokescreen to cover the smuggling and corruption that grip the BOC.

On Wednesday, Davao-based oil firm Phoenix sued top BOC officials at the Ombudsman for alleged harassment and libel.

Phoenix Corporate Secretary Socorro Cabreros said the firm realized that “BOC maliciously announced to the media that our company evaded taxes and duties” even before the actual case has been filed.

“We feel harassed and there clearly is something more than meets the eye in this move by the BOC. It could be a smokescreen for something and we don’t know what it is,” Cabreros said in a statement.

“Something really smells here because (Customs) Commissioner Alvarez categorically said they filed cases when clearly, no case was yet filed as he was making the announcement,” said Cabreros.

Mr. Aquino said in the next two months, major changes within the BOC would take effect.

“We have been discussing steps on how we are supposed to improve the services of customs … expect that in two months,” he said without elaborating.