Customs laments lack of funds hampering anti-smuggling drive

An official of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) asked lawmakers yesterday to provide more financial assistance to their agency to enable them to run after big-time smugglers operating in the country.

Customs Deputy Commissioner Celso Templo, head of the intelligence and enforcement group, said they need new communications equipment, vehicles and other forms of logistical support to enable them to perform their duty.

"Initially, the bureau needs at least P500,000 to conduct a full-blown investigation and purchase vehicles and communications equipment. We have already started the probe, we are in the process of gathering evidence and coordinating with other government agencies," he said in a statement.

Templo said the BOC was deprived of much-needed intelligence funds under the reenacted 2005 budget. They were merely given P1 million to be used for the maintenance of their computers.

He admitted they were no match for the well-oiled operations of big-time smugglers, who have plenty of money to hide their illegal operations and block their investigations.

The BOC has often been accused of conniving with suspected smugglers.

To restore the public’s confidence in the agency, Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales formed a seven-member team to look into the activities of the country’s top 11 alleged big-time smugglers operating in major ports.

But some of these subjects are either already dead or have left the country.

Morales hoped that their good performance last January in revenue collection would be sustained until the end of the year.

For 2006, they were tasked to collect a total of P192 billion and in the first month alone they exceeded their P12.08-billion target by P297 million. "It is a good beginning," he said.

President Arroyo has congratulated the BOC for surpassing its January revenue target, according to Morales.