Criminal, administrative raps vs BoC execs over lost container vans pushed By Gerry Baldo and Conrado Ching 08/16/2011

Criminal, administrative raps vs BoC execs over lost container vans pushed

By Gerry Baldo and Conrado Ching 08/16/2011

Members of the House committee on ways and means yesterday pushed the filing of criminal charges against 14 officials of the Bureau of Customs (BoC) in connection with loss of some 1,910 container vans containing highly-dutiable goods which could have earned P3.6 billion in revenues for the government.

Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas, a member of the House committee on ways and means, advised customs officials to file theft and smuggling cases as well as other criminal charges that caused undue injury on the government.

“I would rather have them remain working in the government facing criminal sanctions than being dismissed without any criminal liability. Without criminal charges, these people will continue to live happily ever after committing a crime,” Fariñas said in a congressional hearing yesterday.

Fariñas, chairman of the panel’s sub-committee on tariffs and customs, said the filing of administrative charges against the 14 BoC officials is not enough..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110816met1.html