5 BOC employees, 2 trading firm execs charged with technical smuggling

MANILA, Philippines - Five employees of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and two officials of a trading firm and a customs broker were charged with technical smuggling before the justice department for allegedly allowing 14 luxury vehicles worth $1.1 million to illegally enter the Port of Batangas last July.

Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina and Deputy Commissioner for Enforcement Group (EG) Ariel Nepomuceno yesterday filed the case against five officials and employees of the BOC Port of Batangas, namely acting assessor Eloisa Suarez; acting customs operations officer (COO) III Maricel Manguiat, COO III Noralyn Asaria, acting COO V Araceli Jasa and acting COO V Benjamin Manalo Jr.

Also charged were Monacat Trading owner Rolando Cuevas, of Unit 2, Matic Building, National Highway, Canlalay, Biñan City, Laguna; company manager Mermelinda de la Cruz and licensed customs broker Flaviano de la Cruz.

The BOC said the five BOC employees “blindly” processed the import entry documents of the shipment.

“As a consequence, they (Customs employees) are recommended to be placed on administrative suspension to give way to a more objective investigation,” said Nepomuceno.

He added that they are also investigating if the five employees received any reward or monetary compensation for facilitating the release of the 14 luxury vehicles that arrived at the port last July 10 and July 18. The shipment reportedly originated from the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong and Japan.

The vehicles, all brand new, brought into the country included a Ferrari 458 Speciale, 2015 Mercedes Benz G63 AMG, 2015 Toyota Prado, McLaren MP4-12C OR 650S, Toyota Land Cruiser GXR bullet proof, 2015 Land Rover Defender 90, Land Rover Range Rove, 2015 Mercedes Benz CLK DTM AMG, Toyota Land Cruiser GX V8 Sport and 2015 Mercedes Benz C63 AMG.

The respondents are facing violations of Sections 3601 and 3602 in relation to Sections 2503 and 2530 of the Tariff and Customs Code Philippines, as amended, and Article 172 or Falsification of the Revised Penal Code.

The BOC said that they failed to stop the entry of top of the line motor vehicles and the government lost P79 million in duties and taxes.

Nepomuceno said that prior to the seizure of the shipment last July, there were suspicions that the company had brought other illegal goods into the country.

“We have to retrieve (the records). We are backtracking the (checking of) documents,” he said.