MANILA — The head of the Manila International Container Port (MICP) on Tuesday said that Bureau of Customs (BOC) personnel have performed their respective functions in accordance with existing Customs regulations, in connection with the entry of four magnetic scrap lifters with alleged traces of shabu seized in a warehouse in Cavite last week.
“For the said shipment, the prescribed Customs Clearance Procedure and the concerned customs personnel who handled the processing, performed their respective functions in accordance with existing Customs regulations,” lawyer Vener Baquiran, MICP District Collector, said in a statement.
“The assigned customs examiner performed the documentary check and assessed the goods accordingly. The appraiser then finally assessed the shipment and approved the findings of the examiner,” he added.
The BOC-MICP official noted that based on the result of the backtracking investigation, it was established that the X-ray machine was not able to detect the reported illegal drugs allegedly concealed in the machines.
“In the case of the four magnetic scrap lifters discovered at Cavite warehouse with alleged traces of shabu, after conducting backtracking investigation it was established that despite the fact that the RED lane procedures had been followed by the concerned BOC personnel, the X-ray machine was not able to detect that the lifters contain illegal drugs,” he explained.
Records show that the shipment was x-rayed on July 14, 2018 on 7:36 a.m..
The X-ray results yielded “No Suspect” or no suspicious image, thus the shipment was untagged for release by the X-ray Inspection Project Unit and thereafter released on July 14, 2018 around 9:04 a.m..
“This finding shows that the drug syndicates may have already found a sophisticated scheme to avoid detection by the BOC’s X-ray machine by using “x-ray proofed” container of illegal drugs,” he added.
According to Baquiran, there was no dispute raised on the particular shipment, which is the reason why his office did not intervene.
“If there is dispute on the valuation, classification or rules of origin the issue shall be elevated to the Appraiser, Formal Entry Division Chief, Deputy Collector for Assessment and lastly to the District Collector,” he said.
“In this particular shipment there was no dispute, hence, the District Collector has no intervention in the processing of the documents,” the MICP District Collector added.
Meanwhile, former Customs deputy commissioner for intelligence and now Sultan Kudarat Rep. Horacio Suansing Jr. together with other lawmakers urged the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to clear the BOC of any misconduct on the reported PHP6.8 billion shabu shipment supposedly slipped through MICP.
The statement was issued after results of a hearing conducted by the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs showed that PDEA based all their information on circumstantial evidence alone and not based on scientific findings.
The probe revealed that the four magnetic lifters yielded negative of illegal drugs, after swabbing, as confirmed by the PDEA chemists who investigated the abandoned magnetic lifter.
“There was misinformation here, and you have to say on record that you (PDEA) made a mistake,” said Suansing, who also served as district collector of Port of Manila.
On the other hand, Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop called out PDEA for not revealing their intelligence report to Philippine National Police and BOC.
“The sharing of information is timely, your information was not timely, that is why all these are happening,” he said.
Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapena Jr. has earlier directed all district collectors to protect the borders against the illegal entry of contraband goods such as illegal drugs into the country.
“On the campaign of the BoC against drugs, I took it upon myself that another important mission that I have to do is to suppress the drugs supply in the country. It appears that bulk shipment of drugs is through the ports. My mission here does not only end with campaign against corruption and boost revenue collection but also to reduce the supply of drugs in the country,” he said.