Lacson reveals list of alleged ‘tara’ recipients at BOC

A list of Customs officials and employees who allegedly received bribes or ‘tara’ from illegal transaction was named by Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Wednesday through a presentation. (Photo By Robert Viñas / Malacañang Photo Bureau – Presidential Communications Operations Office, Public Domain)

A list of Customs officials and employees who allegedly received bribes or ‘tara’ from illegal transaction was named by Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Wednesday through a presentation.

Lacson said in his privilege speech that the information was supplied by top and middle-level Customs officials and employees, brokers, and a concerned individual who has been contacting his office for the alleged ‘tara’ list. Lacson said that he began receiving information regarding the list when the issue of bribery at the BOC once again aroused because of the P6.4-billion shabu shipment from China.

“From various sources inside and outside the Customs bureau that I had interacted with over the past two weeks regarding the ‘tara’ list, we carefully vetted and cross-matched each and every information to come up with an objectively filtered and detailed list of who and how much each office or official in the Bureau collects per container per day,” the senator said.

Lacson also enumerated in his speech the alleged bribe givers and the bagmen or collectors who enabled the so-called ‘tara’ system at the bureau.

List of alleged ‘tara’ of bribe recipients at the BOC:

1. Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon
2. Deputy Commissioner Teddy Raval – Intelligence Group (IG)
3. Deputy Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno – Enforcement Group (EG)
4. Deputy Commissioner Gerardo Gambala – Command Center
5. Deputy Commissioner Natalio Ecarma III – Revenue Collection Monitoring Group (RCMG)
6. Deputy Commissioner Edward James Dy Buco – Assessment and Operations Coordination Group (AOCG)
7. Director Neil Estrella – Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS), and also allegedly collected for the Office of the Commissioner (OCOMM) together with Chris Bolastig.
8. Atty Zsae de Guzman – Chief, Intellectual Property Rights Division
9. Atty Larribert Hilario – Risk Management Office (RMO)
10. Joel Pinawin – Officer-in-Charge, Intelligence Division (one of the alleged collectors of Director Estrella)
11. Director Milo Maestrecampo – Import and Assessment Service (IAS)
12. Atty Grace Malabed – Acting Chief, Account Management Office (AMO)
13. Atty Alvin Ebreo – Director, Legal Service under RCMG
14. All section heads, appraisers, and examiners – Formal Entry Division in both the Manila International Container Port (MICP) and Port of Manila (POM)
15. Athena Dans – Informal Entry Division, MICP
16. All section heads, appraisers, and examiners – Informal Entry Division, POM
17. MICP and POM Sections 1, 9, 10, & 15 Chief Appraiser and Examiner

The senator also mentioned the following district collectors/officers based on the information he has obtained:

1. Collector Jet Maronilla – MICP
2. Collector Rhea Gregorio – POM
3. Collector Edgar Macabeo – NAIA
4. Collector Elvira Cruz – Cebu
5. Collector Maritess Martin – Clark
6. Collector Mimel Talusan – Subic
7. Collector Reynaldo Galeno – Batangas
8. Deputy Collector Mel Pascual – POM
9. Captain Tikoy Guttierez – Enforcement and Security Service, MICP (deceased)

List of the identified alleged bribe givers or “players” at the Bureau of Customs:

1. Tina Yu
2. Jerry Yu
3. Manny Santos
4. David Tan
5. Jude Logarta
6. Eric Yap
7. Edvic Yap
8. Ruben Taguba/Mark Taguba
9. Noel Bonvalin
10. John Paul Teves
11. Gerry Teves
12. Joel Teves
13. Jan Jan Teves
14. Ringo Teves
15. George Tan
16. Diogenes “Dennis” de Rama
17. Henry Tan
18. Bim Castillo
19. George Wee
20. Atty Veneer Baquiran
21. Johnny Sy
22. Armando “Burog” Tolentino and Ruel Tolentino
23. “Kimberly” Gamboa
24. Bobot Sison
25. Marty Pimentel of Cebu
26. A certain “Eunice” of Davao
27. Jun Diamante
28. Vic Reyes
29. Gerry Yap
30. Arnold Saulong
31. Hope Arnulfo Saulong
32. Boy Sabater
33. Nero Andal
34. Lea Cruz
35. Aying Acuzar / Eduardo Dio
36. Rey Tubig
37. Ruel Sy
38. Frank Wong
39. Chi Men
40. Jen Yu
41. Grace Bisaya
42. Arthur Tan
43. Charlie Tan of Davao Group
44. Anthony Ng

The following are the people named by Senator Lacson as “collectors or bagmen”:

1. Atty Christopher Bolastig through Russel and Estrella, and Atty Genefielle Lagmay for the Office of the Commissioner (OCOMM)
2. Nanie Koh for Import and Assessment Service (IAS); also included is a certain Lorna Rosario
3. Joel Pinawin, Ollie Valiente, and Teddy Sagaral for Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS)
4. Atty Larribert Hilario for the Risk Management Office (RMO)/Command Center (COMMCEN)
5. A certain “Magic” or Major Salamanca for the Enforcement Group (EG)
6. Bien Rubio, Jerry and Diego Santiago for the Intelligence Group (IG)
7. Jasmin Obillos for Revenue Collection Monitoring Group (RCMG)
8. Sia Otto and Roy for Assessment and Operations Coordinating Group
9. Bien Rubio, for Intellectual Property Rights Division
10. Atty Tom Tagra for Legal Services
11. Boy Garcia for Accounts Management Office (AMO)
12. A certain Mamadra, Bobadilla, and Mamao for the Customs Collector in NAIA
13. A certain “Hunk” for the Customs Collector in Subic
14. Efren Ambagan and a certain Guiao for the Customs Collector in Clark
15. Alfred and Daniel Wagwag for the District Collector, POM
16. Jun Rapa for the Deputy Collector for Operations, POM
17. Alex, Atty Mimi Aldave, and Atty Vener Baquiran for the District Collector, MICP
18. Jayson Calinap for X-ray at MICP
19. Agama and Junjun Reyes for X-ray at POM
20. Ordoña and Bundukin with a certain “Ante” as runner for the Enforcement and Security Service (ESS), MICP
21. Lino Arroyo for the Enforcement and Security Service, POM

Meanwhile, here’s the list of standard ‘tara’ for each office or division:

• P5,000 to 10,000 for Office of the Commissioner (OCOMM)
• P5,000 to P10,000 for Command Center (COMMCEN)
• P1,000 to P3,000 for the Assessment Operations Coordinating Group (AOCG)
• P1,500 to P3,000 for the Intelligence Group (IG)
• P3,000 to P10,000 for CIIS CENTRAL
• P500 to P1,000 for CIIS Director’s Office
• P1,000 to P3,000 for the Intellectual Property Rights Division (IPRD)
• P1,000 to P2,000 for the Accounts Management Office (AMO)
• P1,000 to P3,000 for the Import and Assessment Service (IAS)

For Manila International Container Port (MICP) and Port of Manila (POM):

• P9,000 to P15,000 for the Section Heads, Appraisers and Examiners in the Formal Entry Division for both MICP and POM
• P1,000 to P3,000 for the Informal Entry Division for both MICP and POM
• P3,000 each for MICP and POM Collector’s Office
• P500 to P1,000 for CIIS Port for both MICP and POM
• P500 for Enforcement and Security Service for both MICP and POM
• P500 to P1,000 for both MICP and POM
• P200 for the Piers and Inspection Division for both MICP and POM
• P1,000 to P3,000 for the Deputy District Collector of POM
• P1,000 to P1,500 for XRA

So-called “big players” facilitating a total of 390 to 490 containers per day:

• 100-110 containers – David Tan
• 80-100 containers – Davao Group (Taguba belongs to this group)
• 80-100 containers – Manny Santos
• 80-100 containers – Teves Group
• 50-80 containers – “Kimberly” Gamboa

The senator added that the outgoing Customs chief supposedly tolerated and even promoted corruption instead of getting rid of bribery in the BOC.

“Unfortunately, instead of going against the system, siya ang kinain ng sistema [he was eaten by the system], thereby effectively tolerating and even promoting the impunity of corruption,” he said.

Faeldon, however, denied the accusation and reiterated that he never accepted bribes from anybody.

Lacson said that the Bureau of Customs has become a “heaven” for crooks, criminals, malefactors, and felons. He also stressed that if the government plans to remain committed to the so-called war on drugs, a “war on corruption” is also needed.