Customs executive faces robbery raps

MANILA, Philippines – A woman Customs official was charged with robbery-extortion before the Pasay City regional trial court yesterday.

The Office of the Ombudsman accused Ethelia Bernas, Customs flight supervisor at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), of receiving P40,000 from a passenger who was trying to export jewelry in 2005.

The case arose from a complaint of Melinda Mendoza whom Customs officers stopped from bringing P80,000 worth of jewelry with her to Canada on July 3, 2005.

Bernas allegedly told Mendoza that she cannot take the jewelry without the necessary export permit or declaration.

Mendoza said she asked Bernas that she would just leave the jewelry with her grandmother and sister who were still at the NAIA.

However, Bernas allegedly told her that she could not bring the jewelry to Canada.

Mendoza said Bernas demanded P40,000 in exchange for allowing her to take the jewelry out of the country. She called her sister and grandmother for money, she added.

Mendoza said her sister and her sister-in-law, withdrew from an ATM machine at the NAIA. 

Her sister-in-law shelled out P5,000 to complete the required amount before the money was given to Bernas, she added.

Mendoza presented as evidence her sworn statement and those of her sister, sister-in-law and other relatives, as well as nine ATM withdrawal slips.