By TRACY CABRERA
Amidst the ongoing campaign to cleanse the whole governmental bureaucracy of corruption, the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) has flagged the Bureau of Customs (BoC) for its
lack of cooperation in sharing data in the government’s efforts to pursue smuggling cases and intensify the country’s anti-smuggling campaign.
Speaking in a radio interview, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin ‘Boying’ Remulla underscored that the absence or delayed submission of vital information from the BoC is hampering the investigation and prosecution of smuggling cases.
“Nagkaroon kami ng meeting ng Customs at saka ng DoJ para nga tumigil na ang kalokohang ito sa smuggling. Ang problema nga kasi,
i(t)ong sa Customs, ayaw nilang kumpletuhin ang documentation para hindi ma-dismiss ang kaso,” Remulla pointed out.
“Ipa-file namin ang kaso o kaya iimbestigahan namin sabay kapag hinihingi namin ang dokumento ayaw dumating ang dokumento. Walang data sharing. At least ang DBM (Department of Budget and Management) pumayag na sa data sharing. Ngayon, Customs na itsa-challenge namin,” he added.
The former Justice secretary also raised concern over reported irregularities within the Bureau as the government’s intensifies its campaign against smuggling, which has recently resulted in a series of successful seizures of contraband by joint operations with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and other law enforcement agencies.
However, it is in the condemnation process of confiscated smuggled goods that has become a problem as the seized items are being sold to consumers and the public allegedly by Customs employees.
Late last month, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) conducted a raid on a rendering facility in Santa Maria, Bulacan, where tons of frozen chicken meat meant for destruction were allegedly being offered for sale by BoC personnel.
In August, the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) likewise raided a Bulacan warehouse where confiscated smuggled cigarettes scheduled for destruction were being sold again by Customs agents.
Over these apparent controversies of corrupt practices, Senator Joseph Victor ‘JV’ Ejercito has urged Customs (BOC) commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno to intensify his ‘house cleaning’ of ‘bad eggs’, particularly the BoC’s intelligence and investigation arm.
