Customs revokes accreditation of Singapore shipping firm

The Bureau of Customs (BoC) has revoked the accreditation of Singapore-based Unitor Ships Service Pte. Ltd. to export maritime products and placed the shipping firm in its watchlist for "engaging in illegal business practices" which allegedly defrauded the government of millions of pesos in unpaid taxes.

Customs Commissioner Antonio Bernardo ordered the confiscation of imported Unitor products entering at the country’s ports after the firm was found to have evaded payment of taxes and duties.

BoC has seized P15-million worth of maritime products shipped by the blacklisted firm in a 20-footer container van and consigned to its local agent, the Relinic International Trading. However, Relinic denied having imported the shipment.

Bernardo said he believes Unitor named Relinic as its consignee after its license was revoked following complaints of evading payment of taxes and duties for its products illegally sold in Philippines.

Bernardo also ordered an investigation of Customs personnel who may have facilitated the release of past Unitor shipments.

Unitor was also the subject of a complaint from lawyer Rex Rico of Rico and Associates for doing business in the Philippines without a business permit.

Rico said the license issued to Unitor by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) only authorizes the firm to provide information about its products to Philippine offshore and industrial markets. "The SEC does not authorize Unitor to directly sell its products in the Philippines," Rico said.

However, records obtained by Rico showed that Unitor, through its manager Jeffrey Robert Antley, sold its products in the Philippines, "in violation and disregard of the license issued to it by the Philippine government."

Rico said all these unauthorized sale transactions enterd by Antley in behalf of Unitor were not covered by corresponding value added tax, while its importations were likewise not covered by taxes and duties.

Following the complaints, Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay revoked Unitor’s business permit and padlocked its Makati office. However, Unitor continued shipping its products to the Philippines naming Relinic as its consignee.