MANILA 3rd District Representative Joel Chua put the Bureau of Customs (BOC) on the spot during the House Committee on Ways and Means’ investigation into the multi-billion-peso cigarette smuggling, noting the rampant market distribution of the illicit product.
He lamented that despite the intelligence funds allocated to the bureau, it continues to fail in combating and stopping the entry of illegal products into the country.
“Kasi yung mga congressman sa Mindanao alam, wala naman po kaming mga intel fund (You know, Mindanao congressmen, we don’t have intel fund),” he told BOC Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Romeo Allan Rosales, who faced the House inquiry on Feb. 11 after BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno was unable to attend because of another commitment.
“In fact, sabi nga po ni Congressman Zia sa sari-sari store ganun na po katindi over the counter nabibili na po yung ganito and yet hindi po natin alam (In fact, Congressman Zia [Adiong] said that these can be bought over the counter from small neighborhood stores and yet, we don’t know what’s happening),” the Manila lawmaker added.
Chua inquired about the bureau’s intel funds, to which Rosales said he would have to find out first as he would be overseeing the BOC’s intelligence funds for the first time this year.
“Iyong Highway Patrol ilan na po ang accomplishment for the past couple of weeks (What are the accomplishments of the Highway Patrol [Group] for the past couple of weeks)?,” the congressman questioned further.
Lawmakers—including Representatives Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro 2nd District and Miro Quimbo of Marikina City 2nd District—called out the BOC for its unpreparedness in facing the committee’s hearing on cigarette smuggling, which is the key agency tasked to combat the illicit activities.
Aside from Nepomuceno’s absence, the lawmakers noted that the BOC even failed to prepare a presentation during the House hearing.
In succeeding hearings, the committee is expected to investigate the possible involvement of some BOC officials in cigarette smuggling activities in the country in lieu of the complaints against former BOC-Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service Director Thomas Narcise and former BOC CIIS Field Station Chief-Port of Manila Paul Oliver Pacunayen, who were implicated in large-scale smuggling operations.
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