Is big time smuggling back?

I wonder why large-scale smuggling is happening again in the port of Cebu. Years ago  many mysterious things happened like the disappearance of a ship that was full of smuggled rice.

During the term of Cebu Customs Collector Ronnie Silvestre, smuggling was at its lowest.  I don’t  not know if it’s a coincidence  that after he was  reassigned last January to  Clark International Airport,   smuggling has gone big time again. Word has it that Filipino Chinese businessmen are involved.

The latest case involves P1.2 billion worth of rice from Vietnam.  No less than Gen. Danilo Lim flew to  Cebu to confiscate the cargo. Smuggling incidents in the ports of Manila and elsewhere prompted  the President to discuss changes needed in the   Bureau of Customs, including a proposal by Commissioner Rozzano Rufino Biazon to dissolve the bureau because corruption was deeply  entrenched.

The abolition of the Bureau of Customs and transfering its functions to the private sector to make it  efficient and less corrupt has been discussed at length.  But the proposal has not taken off because of the opposition of some politicians who are in connivance with smugglers.

Apparently, the smugglers have  powerful connections because they boldly attempt to bring in undocumented or misdeclared  rice, sugar and even motor vehicle fuel. The government is losing millions to smuggling, a problem  every administration tries its best to curb  to no avail.

The Daang Matuwid of President Aquino is directly challenged by smugglers who have powerful patrons in government, especially in the military and police. That is why it is so difficult to arrest the smugglers.

So what should we do?

For one, I suggest  imposing the  death penalty on those  convicted of smuggling and firing out all  employees of the Bureau of Customs by providing them separation fees.

I am sure Customs officials have already identified the smugglers  (even the public  has an idea who they are), and can  build a case against them especially on their tax liabilities.

* * *

The second and third rounds of the Mega Cebu Candidates’ Fora were held last Thursday at the Cebu Cultural Center.

In the morning, six  Liberal Party candidates for governor, vice governor, congressman  and  mayor in the 5th  and sixth district and Lapu-Lapu City were heard.

There was gubernatorial bet Hilario Davide III, his running mate  Agnes Magpale, congressional bet Ace Durano, Consolacion Mayor Teresa Alegado, Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy and mayoral candidate Efrain Pelaez Jun of Lapu-Lapu City.

Some of the  most striking proposals were to  transfer the international airport to  Cordova town and to build a third “access”  connecting mainland Cebu to Mactan Island. Most candidates agreed there was a need for a new a new airport in Cordova that was elaborated by Mayor Sitoy.

I’m  in favor of the project with the caveat that it should not become a real estate deal for  some politician to act as a broker  at the expense of public interest.

A third bridge is also a good idea  to decongest the traffic going to Mactan.

In the afternoon, the forum featured  two United Nationalist Alliance-One Cebu candidates – Mayor Duke Frasco of Liloan town and Mandaue City mayoralty bet  Vic Biaño, a lawyer. Both offered good governance and a strong advocacy for education n their platforms.

It’s important for local candidates to  participate in voter’s education fora  like this  where they explain  to the public their priorities and programs of government in the event they are elected on May 13.

The intelligent discussion is good for citizens and helps them decide who to vote for based on  what the candidates can offer by way of their vision, experience and sincerity to serve. For this reason, candidates should make time to attend these events.

More voters are mature today and look for a discussion of issues.

Tomorrow at 9 a.m. is the turn of  One Cebu gubernatorial  bet Pablo John  Garcia, PMP vice gubernatorial bet Glenn Soco  and Team Rama candidates of Cebu City  along with independent city candidates  in the last round of the three-day forum.