Fugitive businessman faces oil smuggling raps

MANILA, Philippines - Fishing magnate Lope Jimenez, accused of masterminding the murder of Ruby Rose Barrameda–Jimenez, has been charged with another crime – for the alleged smuggling of over P63.6 million worth of diesel oil by his company, Buena Suerte Jimenez Fishing & Trading Inc. (BSJ).

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) filed charges against Jimenez before the Department of Justice for reported violations of the Tariff and Customs Code, Philippine Clean Air Act and Bio-Fuels Act in connection with the supposed illegal importation of more than two million liters of diesel.

Apart from Jimenez, also named respondents are BSJ supervisor Ismael Santos; special project consultant Valtoni Ponciano; directors Glenn Ramos, Alexander de la Cruz, Benjamin Reyes and Robert de Leon; and corporate secretary Elan Colinares.

In a complaint personally filed by Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales at the DOJ, he alleged that BSJ was caught in the act of discharging and maintaining diesel fuel without necessary import documents or proof of payment of import taxes.

He said it was also found that the smuggled diesel oil did not meet the government’s environmental safety standards. Samples from the seized petroleum products showed their sulfur content exceeded the authorized level of 0.03 percent by weight for industrial diesel oil and 0.05 percent by weight for automotive diesel oil, Morales said.

BOC teams raided the BSJ dockyard at the Navotas Fish Port Complex in September last year on suspicion that it was engaged in the illegal smuggling of fuel.

The operation stemmed from tips from unidentified informants that the products were smuggled on fishing vessels from Indonesia.

Morales said it took them almost a year to file the complaint since they had to comply with due process and allow the Department of Energy to conduct tests.

He said the diesel oil from BSJ had already been forfeited in favor of the government and would be refined for possible auction.

Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera said the complaint would undergo preliminary investigation to determine if there is probable cause to file the case in court.

She said under the law, persons found guilty of smuggling are penalized with imprisonment of up to five years – no matter how large the amount involved is.

She also stressed that she sees no link between the BOC’s smuggling complaint and the case of Ruby Rose.

Jimenez brod to stay in hospital

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) allowed the continued hospital stay of Jimenez’s older brother, Manuel Jimenez Jr., Ruby Rose’s father-in-law, after his attending doctor certified that “he’s unfit to travel.”

Dr. Ronelio Cabuling said Jimenez is suffering from stage two hypertension because his blood pressure shot up to 180/130 upon learning that he was to be transferred to the police hospital in Camp Crame.

NCRPO chief Director Roberto Rosales ordered a round-the-clock security on Manuel in his hospital bed at the Angono Medics Hospital to prevent him from escaping.

He added that they are exhausting all legal remedies to bring the older Jimenez into police custody. He has been confined at the hospital since surrendering to the Angono, Rizal police Friday after learning that a Malabon judge issued an arrest warrant against him.

Jimenez, Eric Fernandez, Spyke Discalzo, and Roberto Ponce are the subjects of a manhunt after Judge Hector Almeyda issued warrants for their arrest.      – With Non Alquitran