The biggest plunder at the BoC
N.O . N.O.N.S.E.N.S.E |
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Jacinto |
If President P-Noy is serious about his anti-wang-wang campaign, he should direct and do a test case at the Bureau of Customs (BoC). It is very clear that there is a criminal case of plunder, smuggling and theft that can be charged against Customs officials involved in the conspiracy to let go of the 2,000 containers located at the Port of Manila and the Manila International Container Port (MICP).
Its hard to imagine how 2,000 container vans loaded with highly valuable and dutiable goods where the government was supposed to collect P3.6 billion in taxes and duties, disappeared at the BoC without a trace and the most responsible and accountable persons, Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez, Port of Manila Collector Rogel Gatchalian and Collector of MICP Ricardo Belmonte, are saying they were not aware of what happened. So what were they doing from January up to June of this year which is the period that these containers were withdrawn from the port and failed to reach its port of destination, the Port of Batangas.
When confronted during the congressional investigation, Alvarez’s only defense was, he had already asked the NBI to investigate. And yet sources in the bureau say that everybody made big money, said to have reached the doorstep of BoC higher ups as commission from the scam. Alvarez can hardly feign ignorance since he himself issued Custom Memorandum Order 43-2010 in October, 2010 which lays down the procedures in implementing the e2m Customs System. This system monitors and controls all movements of all goods inside the transshipped containers. Alvarez cannot now say that he is unaware of what went wrong because the master computer of the e2m system is right in his office and operated by his chief of staff, Cesar Manuel, who is said to have been accused of committing many shenanigans inside the commissioner’s office..... MORE
Source: The Daily Tribune
URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110814com6.html/
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