BOC open to probe on P6.8-B ‘shabu’ in magnetic lifters

FILE: MAGNETIC LIFTERS SEIZED. PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino inspects one of the four empty magnetic filters discovered in a warehouse located in a subdivision in General Mariano Alvarez, Cavite on August 10, 2018 (Photo from Director General Aaron N Aquino Facebook page via PNA)

MANILA — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) said it is open to any investigation on the discovery of several magnetic lifters that allegedly contained “shabu” (crystal meth).

“I’ll just go back to the Commissioner’s (Isidro Lapeña) statements from the very beginning: We welcome any investigation that will finally bring to light all issues surrounding this matter,” BOC spokesperson Erastus Austria said in a statement Tuesday.

At the same time, the BOC official noted that they will not hesitate to file charges against any of their employees found to be engaged in illegal transactions.

“We’ve always consistently said that we will be the first to clean up our ranks. If our own people colluded with any drug syndicate or were negligent or remiss in their duties, then they will be dealt with severely and swiftly,” Austria said.

“We have a strong and solid reform agenda in place and the bureau has been making great strides toward this end,” he added.

On Monday, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said a probe by the National Bureau of Investigation on the PHP6.8-billion shabu that allegedly slipped past the customs bureau will push through.

Earlier reports said the contraband was found in several magnetic lifters that were discovered in a warehouse in Cavite.