Filtered by: Topstories
News

Arroyo urged to overhaul Customs bureau


MANILA, Philippines - A party-list lawmaker on Thursday urged Malacanang to overhaul the Bureau of Custom since "there is a clear evidence to prove the connivance between the officials and employees of custom and the unscrupulous businessmen and syndicates." In a statement, AGAP party-list Rep. Nicanor Briones said the first to go should be BOC commissioner Napoleon Morales whom he said had shown “poor performance and ineffective leadership" at the agency. He said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo should include Morales in the list of government officials who should be replaced in the incoming cabinet revamp. According to Briones the government has lost billions of pesos in revenue due to the rampant and unabated smuggling based on a study. "It is very clear that smuggling is the main reason why the government lost P18.8 billion in revenue on 2007. From January to March 2008, the government's loss was pegged at P2.8 billion," Briones said. The lawmaker cited the recent seizure of P473 million worth of agricultural products in two cold storages in a raid in Navotas by the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group and a private task force created by AGAP. He said the raiding team confiscated smuggled cargo like peking duck, giant squids, salmon, galunggong, chicken, pork, onions, garlic, shrimps, broccoli, ginger and tons of luncheon meats. "The government already lost P359 million in revenue from the smuggled goods which were seized at the two cold storage in Navotas," Briones said. Aside from revenue lost and killing local industry, Briones said smuggled goods could be threat to country’s health security as it may carry deadly virus coming from the country of origin. "Smuggled agricultural products which did not pass through the required quarantine inspection are very dangerous. They could be carriers of foot-and-mouth and bird flu viruses," Briones said. Briones urged the government to give incentives or rewards to tipsters or whistle-blowers who will provide the law enforcers substantial information that could lead to the arrest of leaders and members of smuggling syndicates. Briones also called on President Arroyo to certify as urgent all anti-smuggling bills seeking to stop technical and outright smuggling of agricultural products in the country. He said the illegal activity has already affected at least 13.8 million farmers all over the country. Briones said many farmers in some parts of the country have already lost interest to plant rice, vegetables and raise poultry and hogs due to the smuggling of agricultural products. - GMANews.TV