Biazon says BOC doing all to curb meat smuggling

MANILA, Philippines - Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon has vehemently denied claims of rampant meat smuggling in the county saying that the bureau is doing everything to curb the illegal practice.

Biazon said they have been doing everything to address the problem including initiating reforms and cleansing of crooked officials and employees that tarnished the image of the bureau.

Biazon said his men are on a 24-hour watch on different ports especially the Manila International Container Port (MICP) and the Port of Manila (POM) to prevent meat smuggling or misdeclaration of imported pork meat.

The experts from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and the Physical and Examiner of Task Force on Revenue Enhancement for the Attainment of Collection Targets (Task Force React) which is under the office of the commissioner were assigned to monitor the activities on different ports.

As this developed, Biazon again called on groups of hog raisers particularly the Swine Development Council to assign industry experts and representatives to help them  in assessing and scrutinizing importations of pork and poultry instead of throwing tirades against the bureau.

Biazon was puzzled why hog raisers until now have not heeded his call. “Sila ang bihasa sa ganitong mga produkto, kung nais nilang makipagtulungan, bakit hindi sila magpadala ng kanilang kinatawan upang makatulong sa pagsusuri?” Biazon said.

Earlier, the bureau issued memorandum order dated April 10, 2012 ordering all import frozen meat, poultry, agricultural and fish products in refrigerated container van that entered in every ports  be subjected to 100-percent  preliminary physical examination.

The preliminary physical examination of import frozen meat will be done on the presence of representatives of Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service, Task Force React, Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Animal Industry, Bureau of Plant Industry, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, National Meat Inspection Commission (NMIC) and the consignee or his/her authorize representative.