Customs exec to probe broker, notary public

The Bureau of Customs in Central Visayas will investigate the Customs broker and the notary public, who subscribed the affidavit of the fictitious consignee of the seized 40-foot container van from the United States.

“By Monday we will call the broker and the notary public who subscribed the affidavit,” Bureau of Customs-7 District Collector lawyer Ronnie C. Silvestre said.

Silvestre was referring to lawyer Domingo Celis Jr. and Customs broker Rafael Rubio.

Silvestre said he hoped that Celis and Rubio could help them find the real consignee of the shipment, which contained illegal cargo.

He also planned to finish the investigation next week.

He said that a “personero” or a Customs broker “agent,” Dodong Arnoco ,pointed out a certain Rey Tagalogin as the person who shipped the van to the Philippines.

“From what I know, he’s in the U.S. Sana magpakita sya sa amin,” Silvestre told Cebu Daily News.

Silvestre clarified that Arnoco was the customs broker “agent” who did the “legwork” and processed the documents of the shipment and he was not a licensed customs broker.

“The official customs broker is Rafael Rubio. He was the one who signed the paperwork for the shipment,” Silvestre said.

Silvestre said that when they asked Arnoco if he had knowledge about the contents of the van, Arnoco told them that he was un aware of the van’s contents.

Based also on the affidavit of Renato Ramos, the notary public who signed the papers last Nov. 3 was Celis.

Customs investigators are still looking for the real consignee of the seized 40-foot container van from California, whose contents, which included rifle accessories, bullets and big bikes, were misdeclared as “personal effects.”

The value of the cargo was estimated at P3.5 million.

The van was shipped from Oakland, California, passed through Hong Kong and arrived in Cebu last Nov. 3.

It was opened for full inspection last Tuesday, Nov. 15.

A Customs inventory recorded 1,080 bullets for an M16 rifle, 997 pieces of .30 caliber lead, 294 empty shells, rifle scopes, and rifle parts like bolt carriers, butt stocks, and Magpul-branded grips and hand rails.

Silvestre said he already signed a warrant of seizure and detention (WSD) for the cargo last Thursday and will issue an order to have the goods sold in a public auction next week.

Silvestre said the United States Embassy personnel went to their office last Wednesday and “inquired” about the shipment and “asked the papers” used in the shipment.

“I did not ask them (the U.S. Embassy) on what will be their ‘action steps’ in determining how the shipment was able to slip through the Philippines from the U.S.,” Silvestre said.

Silvestre said Renato Ramos was fictitious as well as the passport number.  Correspondent Rhea Ruth V. Rosell