Customs chief orders all tax credit certificates to be signed by him

Customs commissioner Antonio Bernardo has issued an order vesting his office the exclusive authority to sign and aprove all documents on Tax Credit Certificates (TCCs) for the bureau.

Bernardo said the order is aimed at protecting both the government and the public from fake, used or cancelled TCCs that are offered for sale as valid TCCs.

Bernardo directed all holders of TCCs that have been transferred or being processed for transfer, including those partially used, to present the same to his office.

On the other hand, TCCs that are not presented within the prescribed period may be applied only for payment of customs duties and taxes only after extensive validation that will be conducted using regular issuance process.

In addition, an authorization database shall be created, against which all transferred TCCs will be validated before any tax debit memo (TDM) is issued for its application.

At the same time, Bernardo said that prospective buyers of TCCs must first obtain from the TCC Committee an authorization to purchase TCCs.

The processing of a TDM application against a TCC that is not in the authorization database shall be held in abeyance until completion of investigation by the TCC Committee, Bernardo added.

In the same order, Bernardo required the immediate turnover to his office all papers bearing on TCC processing, issuance, application and such other transactions whether in the bureau or in other jurisdictions.