Customs releases 11 trucks earlier held for tax concerns

CEBU, Philippines - The Bureau of Customs-Port of Cebu yesterday released the 11 dump trucks that were put on alert by the Enforcement Security and Services-Customs Police Division the previous week.

Customs district collector Roberto Almadin said that the said shipment was put under alert due to some discrepancies in terms of the payment of customs taxes and duties.

SA1 Alfredo Regidor, Jr. and SA1 Danilo Jamito, Jr. in their recommendation to Almadin on the lifting of the alert order no. 6-05-204 dated May 6, 2014, stated that upon their examination of the said shipment, it had the same specifications as the one described in the Tariff Commission Ruling.

The TCR was submitted by Danilo Rementilla, one of the owner of Century Summit Inc,, the consignee of the said shipment.

Rementilla in a separate interview said that under TCR, a mining dumper (a type of a dump truck) is only subject to three percent payment of taxes and duties and not 20 percent.

“This is an off-road kind of dump truck. Three percent ra gyud ang dapat bayaran namo,” said Rementilla.

He said that they already paid more than P3 million to BOC apart from the 12 percent Value Added Tax.

He said that the shipment, which cost more than P1 million each, came from China and is bound for Surigao. 

“We supply mining equipment to some mining firms in Surigao,” he added.

Almadin said that mining dumpers are considered an economic driver which in effect creates employment.

“Mao nang under sa balaod kay three percent ra gyud na iyang taxes and duties unlike other dump trucks nga subject to 20 percent tax. Pareho ra na sila dump trucks but this shipment kay mining dumper man ni, so lahi ang iyang rate,” Almadin explained.

Almadin was likewise reacting to a report that some brokers were made to pay 20 percent on the same shipment.

“Kadtong nang reklamo, mas maayo muanhi sila sa akong opisina aron ma-explain-an na nako sila,” Almadin added.

Meanwhile, Almadin vehemently denied that he applied for a red visa application and was eventually denied.

“Di na tinuod. Wala man ko ni apply,” Almadin said reacting to a newspaper report that came out in one of the national dailies that he is among the six collectors, whose visa application were denied.

The report added that the port collectors were denied of their application as they are inorganic personnel of the bureau.

“Naunsa man nang balita-a. Mga collectors, inorganic? Mahimo ba gud na?,” he further said. — (FREEMAN)