However, Customs Commissioner Antonio Bernardo said he could not yet name the alleged smugglers because the Department of Justice is still investigating their cases.
"Justice Secretary Hernando Perez has instructed his prosecutors to expedite resolution of smuggling cases pending before them," Bernardo told The STAR yesterday. "They are carefully weighing the evidence."
As part of efforts to improve tax collection, Bernardo said the Customs bureau has formed a team of lawyers to work with justice department prosecutors to find out who are behind the smugglers.
"The President really wants a big fish (convicted)," he said. "That is why right now she just called me (while being interviewed by The STAR on the phone) to check on our cases," he said.
Bernardo said Customs agents seized more contraband yesterday in Sultan Kudarat province and Zamboanga City in coordination with the Coast Guard.
"With the help of the Philippine Coast Guard, we are working to reinforce our presence there," he said. "Many smuggled goods are brought in through the country’s porous coastlines in the South, providing a haven for smugglers."
Bernardo said he is still awaiting the report of his men in the field regarding their latest anti-smuggling operations in Southern Mindanao where a shipment of smuggled rice from Thailand was seized last month.
As to the case of the smuggled rice, Bernardo said they will soon release the results of the investigation on how the cargo ship M/V Rodeo was able to leave port in Butuan City after trying to unload the contraband.
"We were not informed right away of the interception (of the M/V Rodeo)," he said. "We were told only a day after the seizure."
Police raided the Rodeo while docked in Butuan City and transferred the smuggled rice reportedly to city hall for safe keeping, pending the filing of charges against the importer and the ship owner.
Reports said part of the rice shipment is missing and that a sheriff of the court who ordered the contraband’s seizure was being prevented from taking an inventory of the smuggled grains.
At the port, the Rodeo was able to slip away despite the presence of two police guards who were assigned there to ensure that the ship remained docked.
Last Monday, Mrs. Arroyo went to the justice department to personally file charges against Bicolano businessman Antonio Chua, the alleged consignee of a shipment of smuggled rice last year.– Jose Aravilla