Lawmaker to BOC director: ‘Binobola mo kami’

Lawmakers on Tuesday criticized Bureau of Customs’ (BOC) failure to comply with standard operating procedures during the raid that yielded P6.4-billion worth of illegal drugs from China.

During the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs’ hearing on the smuggling of 605 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride, also known as shabu, Surigao del Norte Second District Representative Robert Ace Barbers lashed out at BOC Customs Intelligence and Investigation (CIIS) Director Niel Estrella for not coordinating with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in conducting a second raid in Valenzuela City.

The raid was supposed to be a follow-up operation against the Taiwanese involved in the importation of the shipment.

“Niloloko mo kami e. Alam mo ba ang batas? Alam mo yung provision ng 9165, alam mo?” Barbers said, referring to Republic Act Revised Comprehensive Drugs Act. (You’re making a fool out of us. Are you familiar with the law? Do you know the provisions of 9165? Do you know?),” Barbers said.

READ: Solon: Customs officials ‘smelled crisp bills, not crystals’

“Not specifically, your honor,” Estrella answered.

“Hindi mo pala alam e. And ‘yung sinasabi mong nagsusurveillance ka, binobola mo kami e. Alam mo, unang una, (So you do not know. You said you conducted surveillance, but you’re just fooling us. In the first place), you cannot conduct an anti-drug operations without the presence of PDEA and that is very clear in the law. Eh kung hindi mo alam yan, incompetent ka (If you do not know that, you are incompetent),” Barbers said.

The lawmaker also sneered at Estrella’s failure to get information on the entry of the shipment.

“Ang hirap sayo, may sinasabi ka pang surveillance, surveillance e. Eh kung hindi ka nga binigyan ng tip ng China, hindi mo nga mahuhuli ‘yan e,” Barbers said. (You’ve been bragging about your surveillance efforts. If you were not tipped by China, you won’t even seize that shipment.)

Valenzuela City Representative Wesley Gatchalian criticized Estrella for not reporting the second raid, which only came to light after the lawmaker was tipped of the operation by Valenzuela City government.

“In the investigative report you also submitted to the House Committee (on Dangerous Drugs) and to the Ways and Means Committee, wala pong nakasulat dito na meron ho kayong second raid. Ano po ba ito, intentional na hindi namin malaman, hindi malaman ng media, ano po ba ang katotohanan ng istorya dito? (It was not indicated here that you had a second raid. What is this? Did you intend not to let us and the media know? What is the story behind this?)” Gatchalian asked.

“Your honor, there is no intent to hide anything, your honor, as I was saying earlier your honor, wala po kaming ibang intension (we had no other intention) but to recover these shipment of drugs your honor,” Estrella said. IDL