THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) – Port of Cagayan de Oro on Thursday vowed to intensify this year its campaign to fight smuggling in any form aside from enhancing its collection efforts.
The regional bureau even said the BOC’s anti-smuggling program has shown significant results, with the agency seizing millions of pesos worth of smuggled items and filing multiple charges against smugglers.
“We have a total condemnation in 2021 of 14.26B, including agricultural products,” said BOC- 10’s Deputy Collector for Assessment Jesus Llorando during the 16th Bright Leaf Agricultural Journalism Awards briefing.
He also said that to bolster border security and combat transnational smuggling syndicates, the agency has also worked closely with other local and international organizations including government agencies.
As guest speaker to the 16th Bright Leaf Agricultural Journalism Awards which wrapped up its final leg with Llorando, marking the first time that the competition held a face-to-face caravan after three years at Seda Hotel, in this city.
For 2021, the BoC Annual Report according to Llorando has the total amount of apprehended smuggled agricultural products amounted to more than P1.227B.
The BOC also reported that nearly P2 billion worth of agricultural products were seized from different ports in 2022.
It said that just for onions alone, have reached more than P500 to P600 million.
The latest seizure of smuggled agricultural products by Customs authorities was made on Dec. 23, which yielded P17 million worth of onions loaded inside a shipment of used clothing and home products worth P14 million from China.
Llorando in his message also added that it is clear to the BOC that the year 2022 has been progressive and challenging.
“We will intensify our anti-smuggling effort so that we can combat smuggling even more this 2023,” Llorando said adding that the Bureau of Customs will continue to watch closely.
During the Bright Leaf briefing, amid allegations that some BOC officials and personnel were among the protectors of smugglers of agricultural products, Llorando said that its intensified fight against smuggling and corruption at the bureau had led to the dismissal, suspension, relief, and reshuffling of erring officials and employees.
“To my understanding, you also honor the most compelling photos that capture the essence of tobacco farming and the agricultural industry today,” said Llorando.
On the side, this serves as some sort of advocacy in your fight against illicit trade and smuggling, which according to Llorando part of the Bureau of Customs to represent her District Collector Sandra Yap Lumontad at the Port of Cagayan de Oro.
Our Commissioner no less, Comm. Bienvenido Y. Rubio has made as part of his 5 priority program for 2023 to fight smuggling in any form aside from enhancing our collection efforts.
The Customs Modernization and Tariff Act under Republic Act No. 10863 of 2016 has made a bold statement against smugglers that they will be penalized heavily and face a long prison term.
If this is not enough, the Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016 under Republic Act No. 10845 was enacted to further protect the local agricultural industry and farmers from agricultural smuggling.
"We realize that the introduction of smuggled products saturates the market thereby resulting in price manipulation,” he stressed.
As a former investigator, examiner, and principal appraiser, Llorando said that he knows the challenges that the BOC is facing in meeting its collection target while balancing trade facilitation and at the same time protecting the borders against the entry of smuggled goods.
He also said that at the Port of Cagayan de Oro alone, they have apprehended several millions worth of smuggled onions which if these have successfully been released would have hurt Cagayan de Oro-based farmers.
He said that they have also had similar apprehensions at the Port of Manila, the MICP, and Subic.
We have heard also of foiled smuggling of agricultural products in Davao, Cebu, and Limay.
The lower court in Limay has convicted a rice trader for his smuggling acts.
Several complaints have been filed with the DoJ and have transformed into 103 actual criminal cases but these figures cover all and are being pursued progressively by our Legal Team with the Prosecutors, according to Llorando.
Meanwhile, 690 importers and 220 customs brokers have been suspended by the BoC as we hear their cases.
Even 44 customs personnel have been relieved of their posts in 2021 for either negligence or perceived connivance with these perpetrators.
The BOC under the able leadership of Commissioner Rubio and Cagayan de Oro Collector Sandra Yap Lumontad with guidance from Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Llorando said remain steadfast in its commitment to honor agreements on international trade as they also remain vigilant in its functions under Section 202 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
